With an alarming count of more than two lakh COVID-19 cases, UP becomes second most affected. With this alarming rate, UP government announced that they will provide the Covid vaccine free of charge beginning on May 1, expanding India’s vaccine net to include all people over the age of 18.
The decision was made on 20 April night virtually cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who tested positive for the virus last week.
UP’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted : “During the cabinet meeting, it was decided that all people over the age of 18 in Uttar Pradesh would receive free corona virus vaccination… Coronavirus will lose, and India will triumph.”
The health department has been tasked with planning the logistics of this exercise in the country’s most populous state.
“We need to expand vaccination centre’s and build a database of the target age group,” said the chief minister in a statement.
The central government announced on Monday that anyone over the age of 18 will be able to get the shot beginning on May 1.
At the moment, only people over the age of 45 are eligible.
In response to criticism over reports of vaccine shortages, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that states could now buy doses directly from manufacturers – up to 50% of their supply – at a ‘pre-agreed price.’
With over two lakh active corona virus cases, Uttar Pradesh is India’s second most affected state. Since March 31, when 918 new cases were reported, there has been an alarming increase in new cases.
