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India starts world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive

COVID-19
Posted at 12:41 AM, Jan 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-16 11:46:06-05

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has started inoculating health workers in what is likely the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign, joining the ranks of wealthier nations where the effort is already well underway. The country is home to the world’s largest vaccine makers and has one of the biggest immunization programs. But there is no playbook for the enormity of the challenge. Indian authorities hope to give shots to 300 million people, roughly the population of the U.S and several times more than its existing program that targets 26 million infants. The recipients include 30 million doctors, nurses and other front-line workers to be followed by 270 million others over 50 or with illnesses. It's unclear what percentage of the nearly 1.4 billion people will be targeted.