Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has requested the Centre to consider the state as priority during vaccine distribution.
Health Minister K K Shailaja has said that the state was fully geared up for the distribution and administration of Covid vaccine. Kerala is prepared to use any vaccine that the Centre decides to send to the state. So far, the state has not received any intimation as to which vaccine would be provided to Kerala.
The state also cited four reasons to the Centre for its claim of priority access:
1. Delay the peak: Even though the first case of Covid was reported in Kerala, the state's approach was to "delay the peak" . In other words the idea was to delay the spread of infection by resorting to strict preventive measures. While the state managed to keep the spread under check for the past eight months, a huge spike in cases has been witnessed since the past two months. Therefore the state should be given priority in vaccine distribution.
2: High population of people with co morbidity especially chronic illnesses
Kerala has a sizable population of people with cardiac problems, cancer, diabetes and other ailments which results in mortality in Covid cases. According to estimates, one in five among elderly has diabetes.
3. Population density
The density of population is very high in Kerala which could result in the spread of Covid at a faster rate.
4. Priority category
People above 50 years of age are in the priority group for receiving vaccines. The average population of elderly in Kerala is higher than the national average.
