Free Covid vaccine for all adults begins on Monday: Your cheatsheet

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India will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from Monday, June 21. The decision was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a national address on June 7. The Centre had decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers, including 25 per cent of the state quota, and give it for free to state governments. 

At least seven companies are producing various vaccines against the coronavirus in the country and trial of three more vaccines is at an advanced stage. Meanwhile, trials of two vaccines for children is also underway. 

READ MORE: COVID: Over 2.87 crore vaccine doses still available with states/UTs, informs Centre

GOVT'S NEW VACCINATION POLICY - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Come June 21, Centre will now provide free vaccines to states for all citizens above the age of 18 years. It will buy 75 percent of the total vaccine production from vaccine manufacturers and give it to the state governments free of cost. 
2. No state government will have to shell out any money on vaccines. 
3. All adults above the age group of 18 in the country will get free vaccination at all government facilities from June 21. 
4. The vaccine doses will be provided on the basis of criteria such as population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination in respective states and union territories. 
5. Private sector hospitals will be able to procure 25 per cent of vaccines from manufacturers. However, service charge of private hospitals has been capped at Rs 150 per dose over fixed price of the vaccine. 
6. Pre-registration on cowin.gov.in will not be mandatory. 
7. Meanwhile, all government and private vaccination centres will provide onsite registration facility to be availed by both individuals as well as group of individuals. 
8. States can optimally utilise the Common Services Centres and Call Centres to facilitate prior booking by citizens. 

A LOOK AT SOME DO'S AND DON'TS

• Do not pay for vaccination at government hospitals since it is free of cost now on. 
• As emphasised, the government has allowed on-spot registration, so Co-win registration is no more mandatory at government hospitals. 
• In case of private hospitals too, Co Win registration is not mandatory. Also, do not pay more than Rs 1,410 for Covaxin, Rs 790 for Covishield and Rs 1,145 as the Centre has capped the maximum price of vaccines at such hospitals.

READ MORE: Scale up health infra, speed up vaccination to prevent another Covid surge: WHO to nations