The Delhi government has decided to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, adding that approval has been given for the purchase of 1.34 crore doses.
"Delhi government has decided to provide free vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age. Today we have given the approval for the purchase of 1.34 crore vaccines. We will make an effort to ensure that it is purchased soon and administered at the earliest to people," Arvind Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The Delhi Chief Minister further urged people to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, stating that vaccinated people are less likely to get the infection and the people who do get it have mild symptoms.
Kejriwal said COVID-19 vaccines should have one price and appealed to the Centre to bring down the price.
He also hit out at the varying price of the vaccines, saying "One manufacturer has said that it will cost Rs 400, another has said Rs 600. The Centre is getting it at Rs 150. I believe that this price should be the same."
He also appealed to the vaccine manufacturers to bring down prices, saying it was time to help humanity and not to earn profit. "This is not the time to make a profit. This is the time to help," Kejriwal said.
The Centre on April 19 had announced a ''liberalised'' policy, making all above 18 years of age eligible to get vaccinated from May 1. It has also allowed state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from manufacturers.
As per the central government, manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines will be free to supply 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market, for which they will have to make an advance declaration of the price before May 1.
