New Delhi (NVI): The Centre has decided to start vaccination against Covid-19 for everyone above 45 years of age starting from April 1.
While addressing a press briefing, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that there will be no need for medical certificates attesting co-morbidity conditions, as the government had stipulated earlier for the second phase of vaccination.
“The decision has been taken based on scientific advice,” he said.
Furthermore, the gap between Covishield doses has also been extended up to eight weeks, from its earlier four weeks, as this is more effective in building immunity, Javadekar added.
The COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country entered the second phase from March 1 as senior citizens and people above the age of 45 years with co-morbidities were made eligible to receive the vaccine shots.
Till now, for people between the age group of 45 and 59, medical certificates in proof of their health conditions were mandatory.
But as the Centre is aiming to speed up the pace of the vaccination in the face of an alarming rise in the number of daily Covid-19 infections, now anyone above the age of 45 can get vaccinated.
-CHK
