NEW DELHI: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed concern over the emergence of a new coronavirus variant and asked the government to provide vaccine security to the people of the country.
His remarks come amid rising global concerns over the new strain of the deadly virus that has been named 'Omicron' by the World Health Organization and classified as a variant of concern.
"New variant is a serious threat. High time GOI (government of India) gets serious about providing vaccine security to our countrymen," Gandhi tweeted using the hashtag #Omicron.
He also questioned the government's vaccination coverage numbers, saying, "Bad vaccination figures can't be hidden for long behind one man's photo."
The country's Covid vaccination certificates contain a photo of the prime minister.
Gandhi also shared a chart titled "India's Vaccination Equation".
According to the chart, 31.19 percent population of the country has been fully vaccinated now.
It claimed that 6.8 million vaccinations per day was recorded in the country during the last week against the required 23.3 million per day for the entire eligible population to be inoculated by December-end.
During the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed about the new variant of the coronavirus along with its characteristics and the impact seen in various countries, the PMO said.
The PM asked officials to review the plans to ease international travel restrictions in light of the "emerging new evidence".
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said the Centre should decide on allowing booster doses of coronavirus vaccine to people, expressing worry over rising infection cases.
He also stressed on increasing efforts to ensure that the second dose of the vaccine is administered to those who have taken the first dose.
He said unless the second dose is administered, the first is of no use.
"It is necessary to take both doses for prevention," he told reporters here.
Gehlot said along with it, the Centre should consider allowing booster doses.
The CM said he has already written a letter to the prime minister in this regard but no decision has been taken on this so far by the Centre.