New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Thursday that a plan had been formulated to vaccinate all adults against coronavirus within the next three months.
Kejriwal said vaccination centres would be set up on a large scale and those eligible must come forward to take the jab.
“Had a meeting with the officials on vaccination drive in Delhi. Prepared a plan to vaccinate all above 18 years in the next 3 months,” he tweeted. “We will set up vaccination centres on a large scale. All eligible people must come forward to get vaccinated.”
Orders for 3 lakh vaccine doses have been placed already, and orders for the rest of the doses will be placed as soon as possible. The officials intimated that the work for the order and procurement of the vaccine is in progress. The first lot of the vaccine doses will be received soon. Orders for 50 lakh vaccine doses are being placed.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the city “does not have vaccine” doses for inoculating people in the 18-44 age group and purchase orders have been placed with manufacturers for the same.
The minister, however, said preparations to give jabs to people in this category have been completed.
“At present, we don’t have vaccine. We have requested the companies to provide it,” Jain told reporters when asked if there were enough vaccine available for the 18-44 age group.
“We will tell you in a day or two,” he replied to another query about starting the inoculation drive for this category on May 1. The minister also said the manufacturers are yet to provide schedules of vaccine supply to the Delhi government.
Kejriwal had on Monday said everybody aged above 18 would be administered COVID-19 vaccines free of cost in Delhi.
He had said his government had approved the procurement of 1.34 crore vaccine doses from various manufacturers.
-Delhi govt to procure 67 lakh Covishield doses from SII, 3 lakh shots to be delivered by May 3-
The Delhi government will procure 67 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India and the first tranche of three lakh shots will be delivered by May 3, official sources said on Thursday.
The Delhi government has also sought a supply schedule from the manufacturer for the remaining doses which are to be delivered over the next three months.
An official source said a purchase order has been issued in the name of Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).
