Centre Permits States To Buy Covid Vaccines Directly From Manufacturers

Ramping up its efforts to tackle the novel coronavirus that has caused havoc in the Country, Centre on Monday announced a ‘liberalised and accelerated’ phase 3 strategy of vaccination for COVID-19 from May 1.

In phase 3 of the vaccination drive, vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Government of India (GoI) and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to the state government and in the open market.

Manufacturers would have to make transparently an advance declaration of the price for 50 per cent supply that would be available to State Governments and in the open market, before May 1.

“Based on this price, State governments, private hospitals, industrial establishments would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers. Private Hospitals would have to procure their supplies of Covid-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 per cent supply earmarked for other than GoI channel,” the government said.

Private Vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price and the eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, above the age of 18.

The announcement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting.

‘India is vaccinating people at world record pace and we will continue this with even greater momentum. We have been working to ensure that maximum numbers of Indians are able to get the vaccine,’ Modi said.

Here are all the details on Phase 3 of COVID-19 vaccination in India:

1. Vaccine manufacturers empowered to release up to 50% of their supply to State Govts and in the open market at pre-declared price.
2. Vaccination shall continue as before in Govt of India vaccination centres, provided free of cost to the eligible population as defined earlier i.e. Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers and all people above 45 years of age.
3. Private vaccination providers shall transparently declare their self-set vaccination price. Eligibility through this channel would be opened up to all adults, i.e. everyone above the age of 18 years.
4. States empowered to procure additional vaccine doses directly from the manufacturers  to any category of people above the age of 18 or the same.

Meanwhile, India reported 2,73,810 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of positive cases in the country to 1,50,61,919.