Delhi Government Launches Covid-19 Vaccination Drive For 18-45 Age Group

Delhi launched the third phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive on Monday, allowing the 18-45 age group to avail the jabs.

The Delhi government deferred the launch of the drive by two days citing shortage of vaccines. The third phase of the inoculation drive was launched in other parts of the country on May 1.

Around 90 lakh people in the national capital are eligible for the jabs under the third phase of the drive. Five vaccination booths each have been set up at 77 schools for the exercise, an official said.

The government set up the vaccination centres at schools to accommodate a large number of beneficiaries, he added.

Till now, vaccines were being given to those aged above 45 at 500 health centres in the national capital.

Pre-registration is mandatory for people aged 18-45 as there will be no walk-ins permitted for this category, for now, the official said.

Three big private hospital chains – Apollo, Fortis and Max – have already started vaccinating people in the 18-45 age group at limited centres from Saturday.

The Delhi government has placed orders for 1.34 crore vaccine doses, which will be delivered over the next three months.

Of these, 67 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine are being procured from the Pune-based Serum Institute of India.

Officials had earlier said the first tranche of three lakh doses would reach Delhi in the first week of May.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Thursday said a plan has been formulated to vaccinate all adults against the coronavirus within the next three months.

He had said that everybody aged above 18 would be administered Covid-19 vaccines free of cost in Delhi.

(With PTI inputs)