VACCINE POLICY TO PRIORITISE HEALTH CARE, FRONTLINE WORKERS

Even as the Centre has revised its Covid-19 vaccination policy to provide doses free to states, it has advised them to prioritise the vaccines for healthcare workers, followed by frontline workers, citizens above 45, and those above 18 whose second dose is due, according to the revised guidelines for implementation of the national inoculation programme for the disease.

The free doses will be allocated based on criteria such as population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination, it added. “Wastage of vaccine will affect the allocation negatively,” the guidelines say.

The guidelines also encourage the use of non-transferable electronic vouchers that can be redeemed at private vaccination centres.

This is being done to enable people to financially support the vaccination of economically weaker sections at private vaccination centres, according to the guidelines seen by HT.

“Within the population group of citizens more than 18 years of age, States/uts (Union territories) may decide their own prioritization factoring in the vaccine supply schedule,” it said.