Everyone above 18 years eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine from 1 May

"The government has been working hard for over a year to ensure that maximum numbers of Indians are able to get the vaccine in the shortest possible time. India is vaccinating people at a world record pace and we will continue this with even greater momentum," the Prime Minister said.

Priority groups, including healthcare workers, frontline workers, and people above 45 years, who are yet to receive the second dose will be given priority for which a specific and focused strategy will be communicated to all stakeholders.

"This policy would come into effect from 1 May 2021 and will be reviewed from time to time," said the health ministry.

Centre to receive 50% vaccines from manufacturers

Vaccine manufacturers have been directed to supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Central government. They are free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to the state governments and in the open market.

The manufacturers have been directed to make an advance declaration of the price for the 50 per cent supply that would be available to states and in the open market before 1 May. Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, and industrial establishments will be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers.

Private hospitals will have to procure their supplies of COVID-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 per cent supply earmarked for other than Central government channels. Private vaccination providers will transparently declare their self-set vaccination price. The eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, i.e. everyone above the age of 18.

Vaccination will continue as before in government vaccination centres free of cost to the eligible population of health care workers, frontline workers, and those above 45 years of age.

All vaccination would be part of the national vaccination programme and should follow all protocol such as being captured on CoWIN platform, linked to AEFI reporting, and all other prescribed norms. Stocks and price per vaccination applicable in all vaccination centres will also have to be reported real-time.

The division of vaccine supply would be applicable for all vaccines manufactured in the country. However, the Union government will allow the imported fully ready-to-use vaccines to be entirely utilized in the other-than-government channel.

The Central government from its share will allocate vaccines to states and UTs based on the criteria of the extent of infection (number of active COVID-19 cases) and performance (speed of administration). Wastage of vaccine will also be considered in this criteria and will affect the criteria negatively. Based on the above criteria, state-wise quota would be decided and communicated to the states adequately in advance.