The news to cheer up , at the outset, for all those falling in the age group of between 18 to 45 years in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir as they shall be vaccinated from the designated date, say May 1, all free of cost. In other words, the entire cost of vaccine procurement from the manufacturers shall be borne by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. The vaccines are, therefore, to be purchased directly by the Government from the manufacturers and the targeted group inoculated completely free of any cost. However, the importance of testing, tracking and treating as the only way to overcome the second ferocious wave of Coronavirus, hardly needs to be reiterated coupled with adhering to the stricter precautionary protocol in an absolute orthodox manner where there was no scope for any laxity even for a moment when faced with slightest exposure out of home. Vaccination is such a shield, which in the considered view of medical experts, behaves like a bullet proof cover which in other words, means the only medical alternative available as on date to provide immunity to fight the virus. It not only helps in preventing COVID-19 but even if one got it after vaccination, it helps in not getting seriously ill than what one would encounter in its absence. With this background, all mis-information , canards, rumours etc spread and false narrative built by some elements about the issue of vaccination, need to be rejected and totally ignored. Hence the importance of vaccination to fight the worst challenge to human lives needs to be reflected in practical terms which can be possible only in more and more people getting vaccinated, hence now the age group of 18- 45 years. A country as large and as highly overpopulated as India, is undertaking the world’s highest vaccination drive and the view that more and more people should get vaccinated has been considered favourably by the Central Government and having decided that the phase – 3 shall comprise those targeted group which fall in the age group of between 18 to 45 years is really a pragmatic and bold change in its vaccination strategy. Not only is this age group substantial but the new strain or the form of virus having undergone basic change, infects the younger age group and makes them carriers or spreaders of the infection. Since everything is produced with the help of various inputs like raw material, labour, capital, etc and can be available only at a reasonable price, likewise the COVID19 vaccines also are supplied by the manufacturers for a price. The suppliers are no longer facing price controls as they had to ,during the two phases which means they can supply some portion to states and UTs against a price and 50 per cent of such vaccines will be purchased by the Centre which shall be used to vaccinate free of cost to all the healthcare and frontline workers and to all those above 45 years of age as is currently being done. Putting out all these facts is only for purposes of understanding the importance of vaccination and to value the ways Governments, both the UT and the central, were arranging such vaccines which, therefore, enjoins upon each and every person falling in the eligible age group, to get registered at the earliest and get vaccinated .
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