A PIL in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought a direction to the Centre to waive clinical trials of foreign vaccines so that they are available for use without any delay and to give priority in vaccination to those who have already taken the first dose. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh, however, said it will hear the matter on May 13 as issues raised in the petition are already being considered by the Supreme Court which has also passed a detailed order regarding the same on April 30.
The court decided to adjourn the matter after the central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, appearing for the Union Health Ministry, said a similar issue was before the Supreme Court and it has issued directions to the Centre regarding the same. Ahluwalia also told the bench that the apex court was going to hear the matter again on May 10. The plea, by a lawyer, said India should not just depend on the Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd — manufacturer of COVISHIELD — and Bharat Biotech International Ltd — which makes COVAXIN — to fight COVID-19 as they might not be able to cater to everyone and therefore, foreign vaccines should also be put to use.
Petitioner Nazia Parveen has also urged the court to direct the Centre and Delhi government to add more vaccination centres and upgrade the infrastructure for streamlined vaccination. Advocate Sanjeev Sagar, appearing for the petitioner, told the court that there was a huge difference in the number of people who took the first dose of vaccine and those who took the second dose.
He said this issue can be addressed by giving preference to the people who have received the first shot by having separate lines for them at the vaccination centres or by vaccinating them on separate days and timings when those between ages of 18-45 years are not being vaccinated. “In this manner chaos and spread of COVID will be prevented and vaccination will be done smoothly,” the petition has said.
The plea has also sought dispensing with the registration for vaccination with regard to the economically weaker section so that they are also vaccinated. Besides that the plea also seeks status of vaccine doses ordered for the drive starting May 1, 2021 and their delivery details.
The petition also seeks directions to the manufacturers and suppliers of COVID vaccine to supply the same to Delhi on priority in view of the situation in the national capital.
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