NEW DELHI: The government announced Wednesday that people over 60 and those over 45 with comorbidities will be able to receive Covid-19 vaccines starting March 1.
At a press conference, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the vaccines will be free at some 10,000 government centers throughout the country.
The vaccines will also be provided in 20,000 private centers, but people will have to pay to get vaccinated, he added.
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“The Union Ministry of Health will decide the amount that they (the beneficiaries) would have to pay within three to four days, as it is being discussed with the manufacturers and the hospitals,” Javadekar said.
When asked if people will be able to choose which vaccine, Covishield or COVAXIN, they want to take, Javadekar said that India prides itself on having two vaccines that are effective with proven efficacy.
While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.
Javadekar assured that the vaccination in India has been successful, “impeccable and with hardly any complaints.
When asked if ministers and the prime minister, who would now be in the category of those who can be vaccinated, will be vaccinated, Javadekar said that those who want to get vaccinated will do so at the place of their choice from March 1.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who also briefed the media on cabinet decisions, said most ministers think they will pay to get vaccinated.
The vaccination campaign will cover 30 million priority inhabitants until July of this year. Healthcare and frontline workers are the first to get vaccinated, followed by the elderly and people with comorbidities.
According to the Ministry of Health, as of February 24, vaccination coverage was 1,21,65,598 through 2,54,356 sessions.
These include 64,98,300 TS (first dose), 13,98,400 TS (second dose), and 42,68,898 PDA (first dose).
On day 39 of the vaccination campaign, 4,20,046 doses of vaccine were administered. Of which, 2,79,823 beneficiaries were vaccinated in 9,479 sessions for the first dose (TS and PDA) and 1,40,223 TS received the second dose of vaccine.
At a press conference, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the vaccines will be free at some 10,000 government centers throughout the country.
The vaccines will also be provided in 20,000 private centers, but people will have to pay to get vaccinated, he added.
Live updates: coronavirus pandemic
“The Union Ministry of Health will decide the amount that they (the beneficiaries) would have to pay within three to four days, as it is being discussed with the manufacturers and the hospitals,” Javadekar said.
When asked if people will be able to choose which vaccine, Covishield or COVAXIN, they want to take, Javadekar said that India prides itself on having two vaccines that are effective with proven efficacy.
While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.
Javadekar assured that the vaccination in India has been successful, “impeccable and with hardly any complaints.
When asked if ministers and the prime minister, who would now be in the category of those who can be vaccinated, will be vaccinated, Javadekar said that those who want to get vaccinated will do so at the place of their choice from March 1.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who also briefed the media on cabinet decisions, said most ministers think they will pay to get vaccinated.
The vaccination campaign will cover 30 million priority inhabitants until July of this year. Healthcare and frontline workers are the first to get vaccinated, followed by the elderly and people with comorbidities.
According to the Ministry of Health, as of February 24, vaccination coverage was 1,21,65,598 through 2,54,356 sessions.
These include 64,98,300 TS (first dose), 13,98,400 TS (second dose), and 42,68,898 PDA (first dose).
On day 39 of the vaccination campaign, 4,20,046 doses of vaccine were administered. Of which, 2,79,823 beneficiaries were vaccinated in 9,479 sessions for the first dose (TS and PDA) and 1,40,223 TS received the second dose of vaccine.
The government’s announcement comes at a time when at least five states, including Maharashtra and Kerala, are witnessing a new surge in infections.
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday called on Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh to accelerate the vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers to confer immunity in the shortest time possible.
(With PTI inputs)
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