Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that the government has made extensive efforts in the past few months for identifying priority groups for immunization and ensuring quick and equitable distribution of the vaccine as soon as it is available.

He said, the government has prioritised 30 crore people for COVID vaccine. It includes health workers, frontline workers and sanitation staff.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT to extend coverage to all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir at 12 noon through video conferencing. The scheme will ensure Universal Health Coverage and focus on providing financial risk protection and ensuring quality and affordable essential health services to all individuals and communities. Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha will also be present on the occasion.

The Scheme provides free of cost insurance cover to all the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. It provides financial cover upto five lakh rupees per family on a floater basis to all residents. It provides for the operational extension of PM-JAY to 15 lakh additional families. The scheme will operate on insurance mode in convergence with PM-JAY. The benefits of the scheme will be portable across the country. The hospitals empanelled under PM-JAY scheme shall provide services under this scheme as well.