Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, a’Tika Utsav’ or vaccine festival will be conducted across the country from April 11-14 based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive to inoculate maximum number of eligible people against COVID-19.

According to a press release, Modi had pointed out four things that people should do to help more people get vaccinated as part of the program.

• Each One- Vaccinate One, that is, those who are less educated, elderly, who cannot go and get vaccinated themselves, help them.
• Each One- Treat One, that is, people who do not have the same resources, who are less aware, help in the treatment of coronavirus.
• Each One- Save One, that is, I myself should wear a mask and thus save myself and save others as well, the emphasis is on this.
• In the event of someone being a corona, the people of the society should lead the creation of a ‘Micro Containment Zone’.

“Sometimes, it helps in changing the atmosphere. The birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule is on April 11 and on April 14, there is the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb. Can we organise a ‘Tika Utsav: or vaccine festival and create an atmosphere of ‘Tika Utsav'” he had said.

“We should vaccinate as many eligible people through a special campaign and decide on zero wastage. If there is zero wastage in four days during ‘Tika Utsav’, it will also increase our vaccination capacity,” Modi had asserted.

In his interaction with chief ministers to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the ongoing vaccination drive on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi had urged them to focus on vaccinating all those who are above 45 years in age in high caseload districts.

Several states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are gearing up with appeals being made to eligible people to get themselves vaccinated during the duration of the ‘Tika Utsav’.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also issued an appeal to people to get vaccinated in large numbers during the ‘Tika Utsav’.

He has also called for making optimum utilisation of vaccination capacity.

“Let’s see how we can mobilise things from April 11 to 14 and there will be satisfaction of achievement. It will greatly help in changing the situation. I have also told the Indian government to provide as many vaccine doses as possible,” he said.

This should be our endeavour to vaccinate maximum eligible people during the ‘Tika Utsav’, Modi had asserted.

The daily count of positive cases reached new record highs in the last few days despite having dipped to about 20,000 a few weeks back.

While some states have flagged a “shortage” of vaccine doses, the Centre has maintained that a sufficient quantity of the jabs have been allocated to all the states and that many of them have been unable to inoculate all eligible beneficiaries.

India reported a record 152,879 new COVID-19 cases, health ministry data showed on Sunday.

The number of new fatalities stood at 839, the most deaths in more than five months, taking the toll to 169,275.

(With agency inputs)