Updated: December 12, 2020 10:31:07 pm
Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. (Archive)
The COVID-19 vaccine will be available at no cost to everyone in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.
“No one will be charged for the vaccine. This is the government’s position, ”he told reporters in Kannur.
Kerala is the latest to announce the free COVID-19 vaccine for its people. States, including Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, have already made a similar announcement.
The Center said on Tuesday that three COVID-19 vaccines, developed by Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute of India and Pfizer, are under active consideration by India’s drug regulator and there is hope that advance licensing will be possible for all or any of them.
Five vaccine candidates are in different phases of clinical trials in the country.
Vijayan said the amount of vaccine the Center would allocate to the state was not yet known.
“The fact is, the number of COVID-19 cases is declining, which is a matter of relief. However, it is necessary to see if the surveys of local agencies, two phases of which have ended, would contribute to increasing the cases. That will only be known in the next few days, ”he said.
If the cases do not increase, this trend (of cases down) will continue, the prime minister added.
Kerala recorded 5,949 COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths on Saturday, bringing the number of cases to 6.64 lakh and the number of victims to 2,594. Active cases stood at 60,029.
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