Covid-19
Arvind Kejriwal announces free Covid-19 vaccines for all above 18 in Delhi
New Delhi/IBNS: All people aged 18 or more in the national capital Delhi, which is struggling to cope up with the second Covid-19 wave, will be vaccinated free of cost.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday made a significant announcement to carry the prices of the vaccines for people residing in the union territory.
This comes days after the central government, which is facing public ire over its Covid management, liberalised the vaccination drive expanding it to all adults from May 1.
Delhi, which is one of the worst-Covid-affected regions in the country, has found its health infrastructure overwhelmed with the massive spike in positive cases with several patients dying due to shortage of Oxygen.
The national capital, which is presently under anti-Covid-19 lockdown, on Sunday reported 22,993 new positive cases and deaths of 350 infected patients.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi extended the lockdown, which was about to end on Monday morning, hoping to flatten the Covid-19 curve in the city where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers reside.
The announcement to vaccinate people free of cost came amid the ongoing tussle between the Centre and states/union territories over the pricing of Covid-19 vaccines.
As per the latest norms, 50 per cent of the total vaccine productions will be sold to the states and private hospitals leaving the other half for the Centre.
However, Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech, the manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines Covishield and Covaxin respectively, have fixed a higher price for the states and private hospitals for buying than the rate at which they have decided to sell to the central government.
Joining several other Chief Ministers, Kejriwal has urged the Prime Minister in a recent meeting to cap the price at Rs. 150, at which the Centre is set to buy the vaccines.
The large-scale vaccination in a country like India, which has a poor health infrastructure catering 1.3 billion people, is crucial as health experts say people inoculated have a lesser chance of getting infected with the deadly virus and minimal chance of dying of Covid-19.
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