The low income and marginalised people have always sufferedin all spheres including vaccination preferences! From GCCI to seafarers unionsto courts of law - jungle law rules in modern civilisation!
Developing a simple formula with weighted parameters whererisk to life has maximum weight, and ‘profits’ the least, is no rocket science.A bus commuter has no control on the social distancing/ mask wearing, whilegrocers/ restaurants have full control. Then let each of these vociferousgroups ‘weigh’ themselves in this formula and free up a vast amount of printedand social media space!
Who must be responsible for this? Vaccine is a scarceresource today and allowing private entities like hospitals to administer thesame with a higher margin is a disaster that will ensure further misery to themarginalised.
Cancer patients are at high risk. When undergoing chemo/radiation, their immunity is very low and they cannot take the vaccine. TheTask Force must ensure they have contact with Tata Hospital for guidance on thesame and ensure these high-risk warriors get the best possible vaccine: Pfizerif required - at the crucial time of their cancer treatment. The list of suchpatients must be monitored by the Task Force alone. Oxygen concentrators mustbe given to every such fighter, now. In between these crucial periods, the homepeople of these warriors and their caregivers must be vaccinated -again withPfizer if required. Like them, there are other vulnerable groups - dialysispatients? HIV? Street walkers?
Negotiations between India and Pfizer is on: who will getpreference? It is any bodies guess.
