Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that free COVID-19 vaccines will be given in the first phase to 3 crore people who have been on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus. The government will give priority to 1 crore healthcare workers and 2 crore frontline workers when India begins the rollout of the vaccine.
"In 1st phase of #COVID19Vaccination free #vaccine shall be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that incl 1 crore healthcare & 2 crore frontline workers. Details of how further 27 cr priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are being finalised," Dr Harsh Vardhan tweeted this afternoon.
"Not just in Delhi, it will be free across the country," Vardhan told the reporters on being asked if COVID-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost. Vardhan was reviewing a dry run at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital government hospital in Delhi.
The Oxford-AstraZenaca vaccine has been recommended by the expert panel tasked with vetting Covid-19 vaccine proposals and has been forwarded to the Drug Controller General of India for approval.
"The Drug Controller General of India will soon give its recommendation on the applications," assured Vardhan.