States and UTs can decide whether to give appointment or vaccinate the walk-in beneficiaries; no decision yet on vaccine cost at private hospitals
Teachers register for COVID-19 test at a school in Amritsar on Friday. PIC/AFP
The countrywide vaccination exercise is being exponentially expanded to include those above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbidities, from March 1.
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According to official sources eligible beneficiaries would be able to register themselves on the CoWIN platform from Monday itself after the transition. There will also be a walk-in provision at the facilities for beneficiaries to get vaccinated.
“There will also be a walk-in provision for the beneficiaries to get themselves registered at the nearby session site to get vaccinated,” said R S Sharma, Chairman of Empowered Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration.
“This [walk-in facility] has been left to the states. They will decide which is a walk-in vaccination site. They can decide the proportion between the online and the walk-in centres. States will have the flexibility to do an appointment or [vaccinate] by walk-in,” the Indian Express quoted Sharma as saying.
Everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 for free at government facilities and for a charge at private hospitals, the government said on Wednesday. However, the government has not yet decided the cost of the vaccine for the private hospitals.
All existing curbs to continue till March 31
The Home Ministry said on Friday the existing COVID-19 rules will remain in force till March 31. Accordingly, containment zones continue to be demarcated carefully; prescribed containment measures strictly followed within these zones; COVID-appropriate behaviour promoted and strictly enforced; and the SOPs prescribed in respect of various permitted activities followed scrupulously, the MHA said.
1,10,63,491
Total number of cases in the country as of today
1,56,825
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India
1,07,50,680
Patients recovered and discharged in india as of today
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