Cannot prioritise Covid-19 vaccination based on trade, profession: Centre tells Supreme Court

It may not be in larger interest of the nation that the government starts sub-classification either based upon business, profession and trade, says Centre

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that it can't prioritise vaccination on the basis of trade and profession as it was taking pro-active measures based on rational and justifiable policy for it, depending upon their vulnerability to disease, nature of work, age and co-morbid health situation.

A national expert group on vaccine administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) was set up on August 7, 2020. It has prioritised healthcare and frontline workers and others, including those aged 60 years and above and those aged between 45 and 59 with 20 co-morbidities for Covid-19 vaccination.

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"Since January 16 till March 6, a total of 2.1 crore doses have been administered to prioritised beneficiaries over a period of 50 days," the government said, while adding the US, UK, Spain and Israel have undertaken vaccination for 3.2 crore, 76 lakh, 25.6 lakh and 55.4 lakh people respectively.

Responding to a PIL by Arvind Singh against the exclusion of the legal fraternity from the priority category of the population for the administration of Covid-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said it may not be desirable to create a separate class consisting of lawyers and below 45 years of age and discriminating against those based on trade, business and profession doing their respective duties towards citizens under similar circumstances.

"It may not be in larger interest of the nation that the government starts sub-classification either based upon business, profession and trade or any other ground at this juncture," an affidavit filed by the Ministry stated.

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Maintaining that once an epidemic takes the form of a pandemic, its management has to be done keeping the entire globe as a unit, it is not possible to take state or country-specific approach. Hence, limited export of Covid-19 vaccine was important to protect the high-risk population in all the countries of the world, breaking the chain of transmission and minimising chances of import of cases from abroad as well as neighbouring countries, it said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, two vaccine manufacturers Bharat Biotech Ltd and Serum Institute of India led by senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Harish Salve asked the top court to transfer a pending matter to the distribution of vaccine from the Delhi High Court to the top court.

The apex court fixed the matter for consideration on March 18.