Vaccine production: End the data fog

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Experts are saying that a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is inevitable and imminent. Against the backdrop of this spectre, the rate of vaccinations assumes paramount significance since it is going to substantially determine the degree of the severity of the third phase through hell. After a lot of wrangling and political finger pointing, the rate of daily vaccination hit a peak on June 21 at over 85 million doses, igniting hopes of a much-awaited rise in the number of jabs.

However, the rate of jabs has fallen significantly in the subsequent days and now hovers between 30 and 40 lakhs a day. In the last week of May the government assured the country that by the end of this year, it would vaccinate 108 crore Indians, or all the adults in the country to shield them against the virus, a target impossible to meet at the current rate.

Significantly, the question of revival of the economy crucially hinges upon the rate of vaccinations. Economists are all linking the much-awaited recovery to the pace of vaccinations. More waves and more periods of restrictions is only going to delay the recovery and prolong the terrible distress of crores of people who have lost jobs, had wages slashed and businesses decimated.

The first step to end the confusion about vaccinations would require the government clarifying vaccine production figures in the country, something that was never made public. Just like the infection-death figures, the government should come out with a dynamic dashboard that would have daily updates on production of vaccines in the country and administration of vaccines statewise. It should also reveal import figures none of which can happen with the Centre being in the dark. Under the current situation, the people have a right to know the production figures and the projections in the next few weeks. Lives and fortunes are all connected with these figures.