DNA Special: Busting the myths about COVID-19 vaccines

Amid the shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in India, there's one more problem related to vaccination - misleading information. The marketing and supply of half-truths and white lies is happening in the country about vaccination. That is why the NITI Aayog itself has cleared the air on every lie in the country regarding vaccination.

The first confusion is that India is not buying vaccines from foreign companies that have adequate doses of vaccine. While stating the truth of this allegation, the NITI Aayog has said that the Central Government has been trying to import vaccines since 2020. There have been many rounds of talks for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines and only due to the efforts of the government, Sputnik V vaccine has been approved.

The second confusion is that the government is not approving the vaccine available in other countries. On this confusion, the NITI Aayog has said that since April 2021, the Government of India has made easy the entry of such vaccines which have got approval from US' FDA, MHRA of England, PMDA of Japan and Emergency Use Listing of WHO. And no foreign vaccine-producing company in India has any application pending approval.

The third fallacy is that efforts are not being made to increase the production of vaccine domestically in the country. The NITI Aayog has said on the allegation that since the beginning of 2020, the Central Government is trying to enable more and more companies to produce vaccines. In India, preparations are being made to produce 10 crore doses of Covaxin every month by October. Coveshield is preparing to produce 110 million doses every month.

The fourth fallacy is that the Center should implement compulsory licensing on vaccines, on which the Ayog says that India has moved one step ahead of compulsory licensing. Active participation has been ensured in Bharat Biotech and 3 institutions to increase the production of Covaxin. And the same is being tried for Sputnik.

The fifth confusion is that the Center has left its responsibility to the states on the vaccine. On this, the NITI Aayog has said that the government is speedily undertaking several tasks like approval, production, supply and import of vaccine. The Center is buying vaccine, which is increasingly being given to the states.

The sixth fallacy is that the Center is not providing adequate vaccines to the states. On this, the NITI Aayog says that the government is giving adequate vaccines to everyone with the guidelines made with the consent of all. Vaccine supply is going to increase soon, and states will be able to get more vaccine.

The seventh fallacy is that the central government is not taking steps for children's vaccine. The Ayog has said on this allegation that no country in the world is giving the vaccine to children right now. The World Health Organization also has no suggestions on this, and trials on children in India are going to start soon.

Today on all this fake news, we have prepared a video analysis for you. In this, Dr VK Paul, a member of the Niti Aayog is replying to all the fake news related to the vaccine and today you should listen very carefully to all these things.