Govt announces vaccination for all above the age of 18 from May 1
The decision was taken following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday with all the pharma companies and leading doctors from across the country.
The Government of India on Monday announced that everyone in India above the age of 18 will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1 onwards.
This comes as a major announcement as the government devised a “liberalised and accelerated” Phase 3 strategy for vaccinations against the coronavirus under which all adults will be eligible for inoculations from May 1.
The decision was taken following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday with all the pharma companies and leading doctors from across the country.
Liberalised and Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy includes some key elements listed below:
Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory-released doses to the Government of India and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market.
Manufacturers would transparently make an advance declaration of the price for 50 per cent supply that would be available to state governments and in the open market, before May 1. Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments etc would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers.
Private Hospitals would have to buy their supplies of Covid vaccine only from the 50 per cent supply earmarked for other than the Government of India channel.
Private vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price. The eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, i.e. everyone above the age of 18.
The Government of India, from its share, will allocate vaccines to states/UTs based on the criteria of the extent of infection (number of active Covid cases) and performance (speed of administration).
Wastage of vaccine will also be considered in this criterion and will affect the criteria negatively.
Based on the above criteria, State-wise quota would be decided and communicated to the States adequately in advance.
The second dose of all existing priority groups and population above 45 years, wherever it has become due, would be given priority, for which a specific and focused strategy would be communicated to all stakeholders.
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