We will provide Covid-19 vaccines for free: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that the Delhi government has decided to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age and the 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 approved 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,” said Kejriwal.

Emphasising that vaccines should have the same price throughout the country, he requested the Centre to bring down the price and also appealed to vaccine manufacturers to sell the jabs at cheaper rates.

“This is not the time to make a profit but to help,” said Kejriwal. “We will make an effort to ensure that vaccines are purchased soon and administered to people at the earliest,” he added, while noting that vaccines have emerged as an effective tool to tackle coronavirus pandemic.

“One vaccine producer said that they’ll provide vaccines to the state governments at Rs 400 per dose and the second producer said that they’ll provide at Rs 600 per dose. Both of them will keep the price at Rs 150 per dose for the Central government. I hope that the prices remain the same for all,” the Delhi CM said.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader pointed out that Covid-19 does not cause serious health issues in people. Pointing towards efficacy of vaccines, Kejriwal said that people who are vaccinated and later contract the virus normally do not require hospitalisation.

It may be noted here that Serum Institute of India, which is manufacturing Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (called Covishield in India) has said that it will provide the vaccine at Rs 400 per dose to state governments, while at Rs 600 per dose to private hospitals, under the third phase of vaccination programme starting 1 May.Bharat Biotech, which has indigenously developed Covaxin, has set the pricing at Rs 600 per dose for state governments and Rs 1,200 for private hospitals.

Arvind Kejriwal also called on scientists and vaccine manufacturers to ensure Covid-19 vaccines for children as well, who too have become highly vulnerable in the second wave as mutant variants are continuing to wreak havoc. “We’ve seen children below 18 getting infected too. Some died. It’s time to think for them too. If these vaccines are safe and effective for them, they should be given these. If not, then I hope new vaccines will be developed soon that will be effective and safe for children,” the Delhi CM said.

Kejriwal said that Sardar Patel Covid Care Centre has started functioning again at Radha Soami Satsang Beas from Monday morning.

“The centre opened for patients at 10 am today. It is being started with 500 beds. It will be further increased to 2,000 beds and then to 5,000 beds even further. A 200-bed ICU is also being started there,” Kejriwal said.