Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said that India will be able to vaccinate people above 50 years of age with the vaccine against the coronavirus in March 2021. The Minister also asserted that people should continue following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and termed it 'social vaccine', to avoid contracting the deadly virus.

"We will be in a situation to administer vaccines to those above 50 years of age in March", Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said, adding, "It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I had called a 'social vaccine', along with real vaccine". 

The health minister informed that 80 to 85 per cent of frontline workers have been administered the coronavirus vaccine so far. India on January 16 started the vaccination drive against the coronavirus, which has afflicted over a crore of people in the country and has claimed lives of more than 1.55 lakh. At least 18-20 vaccines are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages and are expected in the coming months, he said. Vardhan also urged people to continue following COVID appropriate behaviour which he had referred to as "social vaccine", along with the vaccine. 

India's total COVID-19 active cases currently stand at 1.39 lakh with 33 states and union territories having reported less than 5,000 active cases in a span of 24 hours. According to the Health Ministry, three states -- Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka -- cumulatively account for 77 per cent of India's total active cases. Tripura and Daman and Diu and Nagar Haveli currently have only two active cases each. The ministry said that 18 states and UTs have not reported any deaths in a span of 24 hours.

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