India announces next phase of Covid-19 vaccination, all above 18 yrs eligible.
To positively ramp up the COVID vaccination drive in the country, the Indian government on Monday announced a “liberalised and accelerated” Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination from May 1.
Here are key points in the liberalized vaccination rules:
- Vaccine manufacturers will supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the central government and will be free to supply the remaining 50% doses to state governments and in the open market.
- Manufacturers will declare prices in advance for the vaccines supplied to state governments and in open market.
- Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments can buy vaccine doses from the manufacturers.
- Vaccinations at central government centres, provided free of cost, will continue for previous categories – health workers, frontline workers and those above 45.
- The Centre will allocate vaccines from its share to States or Union Territories based on the number of cases. Vaccine wastage can affect the quota of a state.
- The second dose for existing priority groups will be priority.
The announcement comes after an important meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where it was noted that the “government has been working hard from over a year to ensure that maximum numbers of Indians are able to get the vaccine in the shortest possible of time.”
He added, “India is vaccinating people at world record pace and we will continue this with even greater momentum.”
In this phase, the Indian government pointed out that pricing, procurement, eligibility and administration of vaccines are being made flexible. All stakeholders given the flexibility to customise to local needs.
