Delhi government will provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all above 18 years: Arvind Kejriwal

Amid the coronavirus surge being witnessed in the national capital, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that his government will provide free vaccines to everyone above the age of 18 years in the city.

"Delhi government has decided to provide free vaccines to everyone above 18 years of age. Today we have approved the purchase of 1.34 crore vaccines. We will make an effort to ensure that it is purchased soon and administered at the earliest to people," CM Arvind Kejriwal said in an online briefing.

The government will make efforts to speed up vaccine purchase and vaccinations to the people, Arvind Kejriwal said.

"We are working on a plan to start large-scale vaccination as soon as possible," he said.

Kejriwal said COVID-19 vaccines should have one price and appealed to the Centre to bring down the price.

He also appealed to vaccine manufacturers to bring down prices, saying it was time to help humanity and not to earn profit.

"One manufacturer has said that he will provide vaccine to the states at Rs 400 and another has said he will do so at Rs 600. Both have said they will provide the vaccine to the Centre at the rate of Rs 150. I believe there should be one price of the vaccine."

He said that because of the pandemic, the Centre should if need be, cap the vaccine prices to bring the rate down.

Kejriwal also said that there were reports of COVID-19 infections and loss of life in the below 18 age group and emphasised finding out a proper vaccine for them.

Vaccines have emerged as a solution to the pandemic, the chief minister said and added that experts believed that England succeeded in stemming the wave and intensity of infections through large-scale vaccination.

If everyone is administered the vaccine then COVID-19 will be rendered an ordinary disease, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)