Pradhan welcomes PM Modi’s decisive step on Covid-19 vaccination drive

The Union Government today announced a "liberalised and accelerated" Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination from May 1.

Everyone above the age of 18 to be eligible to get Covid-19 vaccine, announced the Government after a meeting chaired by PM Modi.

In a tweet, the Union Minister said, “Welcome PM Narendra Modi ji’s decisive step to accelerate the largest vaccination drive. The vaccination for all above the age of 18 from May 1 will further strengthen the country’s preparedness against Covid-19 and go a long way in ensuring safety & well-being of everyone in these difficult times.”

Welcome PM @narendramodi ji’s decisive step to accelerate the #LargestVaccinationDrive.#Vaccination4All above the age of 18 from May 1 will further strengthen our preparedness against #Covid19 & go a long way in ensuring safety & well-being of everyone in these difficult times. — Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 19, 2021

“The decision to enable vaccine manufacturers to supply 50% of Covid19 vaccine doses to States, UTs and in the open market is a great step forward which will help inoculate more number of citizens and further amplify the the largest vaccination drive,” he added.

In the phase 3 of the vaccination drive, the vaccination will continue as before in Government of India vaccination centres free of cost to the eligible population including Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers and all people above 45 years of age.

During this phase vaccine manufacturers will supply 50 percent of their monthly released doses to Central government and they will be free to supply the remaining 50 percent doses to States as well as in the open market.

The manufacturers will transparently make an advance declaration of the price of the Vaccine that will be available to State Governments and in open market.

Private Hospitals will have to procure their supplies of Covid-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 percent supply earmarked for other than Government of India channel.

PM Modi said that the Government has been working hard for over a year to ensure that the maximum number of Indians are able to get the vaccine in the shortest possible time.

He added that India is vaccinating people at a world record pace and we will continue this with even greater momentum.

Until now, in phase two of the vaccination drive, only people above the age of 45 were eligible for an anti-Covid vaccine.

The Government had started the vaccination drive in January this year by prioritizing health and front line workers in phase one of the vaccination rollout.