New Delhi (NVI): In a major step, the Central government has announced that all persons above 18 years of age will be eligible to get COVID-19 vaccine doses from May 1. The decision was taken after the Prime Minister chaired several high-level meetings to take stock of the prevailing covid situation in the country. The immunisation drive was currently restricted to only citizens aged above 45.
“In a meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, an important decision of allowing vaccination to everyone above the age of 18 from 1st May has been taken,” a government release said.
While announcing a ‘liberalised and accelerated Phase 3 strategy of Covid-19 vaccination from May 1’, the Centre stated that the pricing, procurement, eligibility and administration of coronavirus vaccines being will be made flexible in Phase 3 of the world’s largest vaccination drive.
In the third phase of the immunisation programme, vaccine manufacturers will have to supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Centre. They would be free to supply the remaining 50% doses to state governments and in the open market, the Centre said.
“Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to Government of India and would be free to supply the remaining 50% doses to State Govts. and in the open market (hereinafter referred to as other than Govt. of India channel)”, it added.
PM Modi stressed that vaccination was “the biggest weapon” in the fight against the coronavirus and urged doctors to encourage more and more patients to get vaccinated.
