India opens up Covid-19 vaccination for all above 18, half the availability will go to open market

In a big shift in its coverage on Covid-19 vaccination, India, which is witnessing an unprecedented surge, Monday introduced that each citizen above the age of 18 years will likely be eligible for vaccine shot from May 1. The determination got here after a gathering chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In one other shift within the coverage, the Health Ministry stated that fifty per cent of the vaccine provide will likely be made obtainable on to the open market and the state governments for the vaccination programme.
“Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to centre government and would be free to supply the remaining 50% doses to state governments and in the open market,” the ministry stated. The Centre additionally stated that vaccination shall proceed as earlier than in “Govt. of India vaccination centres, provided free of cost” to the eligible inhabitants as outlined earlier: Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front Line Workers (FLWs), and all individuals above 45 years of age.

The third change in coverage, will likely be that Centre from its share, will allocate vaccines to states “based on the criteria of extent of infection (number of active Covid cases) and performance (speed of administration)”. The Centre added that “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.”
The Centre stated producers “would transparently make an advance declaration of the price for 50% supply that would be available to state governments and in open market” earlier than May 1. “Based on this price, state governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments etc would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers,” the Centre stated. Private hospitals must procure their provides of Covid-19 vaccine completely from this 50% provide.

“Private Vaccination providers shall 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,” it stated. While the break up in vaccine provide will likely be “applicable uniformly across for all vaccines manufactured in the country”, the Center has allowed “imported fully ready to use vaccines to be entirely utilised” within the non-government quota.