E-Paper
What changes from May 1 in Covid-19 vaccination drive? FAQs answered
Everyone above 18 years of age will be eligible to get vaccinated against Covid-19 from May 1, the central government said on Monday as it liberalised the ongoing vaccination drive.
The Centre on Monday expanded the scope of the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive to include everyone above the age of 18 from May 1. It also liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers.
The decisions were taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Here is everything you need to know about the liberalised vaccine policy:
What will happen from May 1?
More people will be covered under the ongoing nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme, which started on January 16. From May 1, everyone above the age of 18 will become eligible for Covid-19 vaccines. This has been a crucial demand of experts and states badly affected by the coronavirus disease. Amid the ongoing surge in number of daily cases, leaders and chief ministers of Maharashtra and Delhi had urged PM Modi to relax the age restriction or adminstering the Covid-19 vaccine.
What are the vaccines being used in India currently?
India started the world's largest vaccination drive with two vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin. Earlier this month, Russia's Sputnik V was given emergency use authorisation by India's drug regulator.
What changes in phase 3 of vaccination drive launching from May 1?
Under the third phase of the vaccination drive commencing next month, the vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the central government and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market.
Manufacturers would have to make an advance declaration of the price for 50 per cent supply that would be available to the state governments and in the open market before May 1, 2021. Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments, etc would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers.
What happens to the ongoing vaccination drive?
Vaccination will continue as before in the government of India vaccination centres free of cost to the eligible population - healthcare and frontline workers and all people above 45 years of age.
