Rotary Task Force for Covid vaccination

The Covid vaccine has been rolled out in India on January 16 with the first shots being given to health workers and frontline staff.

Senior Rotary leaders in India have formed the Rotary’s Covid Vaccination Task Force in India headed by PRID Ashok Mahajan as its chairman to assist the government in the vaccination drive. “We have had initial discussions on how Rotary can partner in taking the programme to all citizens across India. Our expertise and network in handling polio immunisation programme will be of immense value to the government, especially when it comes to countering some wrong perceptions that will arise from certain misinformed sections in the society,” said Mahajan in a letter addressed to the district governors.

He has urged them to lead a team of volunteers and create awareness about the vaccine among the public. Wherever there is a resistance, proper information must be disseminated about its efficacy. “Our advocacy skills were proved in breaking down the resistance during our polio eradication programme. Rotary has no mileage to gain from this except to save precious lives of people in every household,” he said, and urged Rotary clubs to seek the support of large organisations in their area for utilising their various facilities during the vaccination programme in addition to contributions for the cause.

“We will work together and show that no pandemic is too big for Rotarians in India to handle,” said Mahajan.