Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): People above 18 years of age in Madhya Pradesh will be vaccinated free-of-cost from May 5. The state government has completed preparations for the third phase of the vaccination drive. The people of this age group were supposed to take the vaccine jab from May 1 but it had to be put off due to lack of availability of vaccines.
During a video-conference with the Covid core group on prevention of Covid-19, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the process of providing free vaccination to the age group of 18 to 45 years would begin from May 5.
Purchase orders have been placed with both vaccine manufacturers, Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute of India (SII), for a potential requirement of 5 crore 29 lakh vaccine doses. The possibility of vaccine import is also being considered. The vaccination process of persons above 45 years will continue uninterrupted.
Chouhan said that effective monitoring of home isolation arrangements must be ensured in rural areas. Panchayat Rural Development, Forest and Health department staff as well as local public representatives must strengthen the system by working in unison. In the absence of necessary arrangements for home quarantine, the Covid-infected person would be transferred to a Covid care centre. A vehicle could be arranged for the infected person, if required.
He said a health check-up should be done at prescribed rates which must be implemented strictly and action taken in case of overcharging.
Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, "Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji, you are saying that vaccination at a faster pace is very important to control the Covid-19 pandemic and you are yourself admitting that a total of five crore 29 lakh doses are required for vaccination of people from 18 to 44 years."
Kamal Nath asked Chouhan, "You are talking about starting a vaccination programme for people in the age group of 18-44 years in the state from May 5, which was earlier announced to start from May 1, but this announcement also proved to be 'election rhetoric'."
