Walking a tightrope: understanding COVID-19 vaccine allocation in India

Kalpana Tokas and Kartik Yadav

International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies, 2024, vol. 20, issue 1, 77-91

Abstract: India's National COVID-19 Vaccination Program commenced in early 2021, but was subjected to multiple policy changes and allegations such as inequitable allocation of vaccines to states and political favouritism. Government of India (GOI) highlighted certain factors that had guided the initial allocation of vaccines to states and union territories. This paper uses the limited data available in public domain for the initial allocation period of April and May 2021 to empirically examine these claims using a panel data random effects model. Our results suggest that GOI broadly followed the globally prescribed principles for vaccine allocation. However, we find that the allocation failed to cater to the most vulnerable age groups of the population, though we do not find any evidence of political favouritism. We conclude the study with certain policy suggestions.

Keywords: COVID-19; vaccination; policy; politics; India. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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