COVID vaccination centres to be open on all days in April, including gazetted holidays: Centre
The Centre has written to all States and Union Territories today and asked them to make necessary arrangements to provide vaccination in these Covid vaccination centres on all days of the month including gazetted holidays during April 2021, the ministry said.
FollowCoronavirus vaccinations will be done throughout the month till 30 April, including on gazetted holidays, at all public and private Covid inoculation centres, the Union Health Ministry said today.
The Centre has written to all States and Union Territories today and asked them to make necessary arrangements to provide vaccination in these Covid vaccination centres on all days of the month including gazetted holidays during April 2021, the ministry said.
“This step has been taken after detailed deliberations with the States/UTs on 31st March, to optimally utilise all COVID Vaccination Centres across the public and private sectors to ensure rapid increase in the pace and coverage of COVID vaccination,” noted the release.
It added that the decision is in line with the graded and proactive approach employed for Covid-19 vaccination.
“Vaccination exercise is a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from Covid-19 and continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level,” said the statement.
The government opened up the Covid-19 vaccination drive to include everybody above 45 years of age on April 1 based on a recommendation of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC).
In India, the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first, and then frontline workers (FLWs) from February 2.
The next phase of vaccination commenced on March 1 to cover people above 60 and those in the age group of 45-59 but with specified comorbid conditions.
According to latest data, more than 6.5 crore vaccines have been administered in India so far.
