Covid Vaccine for All
For one full year, people all around the world were praying for an effective vaccine to stop Corona from killing them. Scientists delivered not just one, but many excellent vaccines. I expected that the people would be tripping over themselves to get vaccinated and many all over the world did just that. When the arrival of vaccines was announced, there were attempts to cut the line when people found that they were low down on the list of who is eligible and many were impatient at having to wait to get their jab.
But soon, in India, we found that a significant segment of people who did not seem enthusiastic to get the shot. Vaccine hesitancy takes different forms for different people. For some there is scepticism about anything new and some have a nagging suspicion that some conspiracy is afoot. Some people distrust big pharmaceutical companies and many need re-assurance before they could accept the vaccine. Some had wrong information about the vaccine, some are passive and indifferent and some think that vaccine has nothing to do with them. While it will take time to allay the doubts of hardcore conspiracy theorists, we can clear the minds of others who want to save themselves and those around them.
This is why Rotary Clubs were asked to help in creating awareness and advocacy about the vaccines and need to step up the drive. The efforts of the members of Rotary India’s Covid Task Force have now started paying dividends and I must particularly appreciate the efforts of PDG Sunil Zachariah of RI District 3201 and PDG Ashok Panjwani of R I District 3060 who are the Zonal Co-ordinator. Vaccination centres run by Rotary Clubs have started in Districts 3201, 3202, 3211, 3060 and many more are expected to be commissioned soon. In Tamil Nadu, the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has given the nod to start vaccination in mini clinics across the State and I am sure many more states may follow the same . The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid has recommended that those above 45 years can get vaccinated and this is expected to create a huge demand for new vaccination centres.
I request Rotary Leaders in every District to advise the clubs to stop endangering the lives of their members and those in the community by arranging meetings and dinners in hotels and clubs and instead use the resources to support the opening of new vaccination centres.
We have in every district a team that is a communication sophisticate. It has an extremely effective communication system that it uses for various purposes including those which are frowned upon by RI. It is time that this system is deployed to address a larger community need. The soaring numbers that we are seeing today in Covid cases will continue to rise unless there is a serious attempt to get everyone vaccinated. Rotarians, this is your hour to serve. Do it well.Here I am reminded of what Swamy Vivekananda said “ARISE , AWAKE AND STOP NOT UNTIL THE GOAL IS REACHED “ and friends, today our goal is to make sure that we succeed in getting rid of COVID PANDEMIC and save the Mankind.
Ashok MahajanChairman , Rotary India’s Covid Task Force