Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh Announce Free Covid Vaccine For All Above 18

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will offer the COVID-19 vaccine free of cost from May 1, when India's vaccination drive will widen to include all people over the age of 18, becoming the latest states to do so.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the state government will pay for the COVID-19 vaccination for all those above 18.

"We will take all possible steps to protect the lives of our citizens," said Bhupesh Baghel, adding that the central Government has been requested to ensure availability of an adequate number of vaccines in the state.

The Chief Minister urged all those eligible to get vaccinated.

Yesterday, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted that the state will give "FREE vaccines to everyone from 18-45 years". A few hours later, at a cabinet meeting chaired by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who tested COVID positive last week, a decision was taken to offer COVID vaccine free of cost.

The centre on Monday announced that all adults will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination from May 1 while private hospitals and states will be able to buy doses directly from manufacturers.

The decisions aimed at scaling up inoculation came as a deadly second wave of coronavirus is sweeping the country, with record surge in COVID-19 cases. Several states like Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan demanded that the age restriction of 45 years be removed for the vaccination.

Earlier today, Serum Institute of India (SII) announced that Covishield will be sold at Rs 400 a shot to states and Rs 600 to private hospitals. As part of the government's new policy, 50 per cent of the vaccine doses will be reserved for the centre and the rest will be divided between states and private hospitals.

An additional 1.2 million doses will be needed when inoculations, carried out in stages since January, open to all adults. Several states have flagged a shortage of vaccine shots.