Madhya Pradesh becomes 3rd BJP-ruled state to announce free COVID-19 vaccine for all adults

Bhopal, April 22: Following the footsteps of Assam and Uttar Pradesh, the Madhya Pradesh government announced that all the residents of the state above 18 years will be given free vaccination for COVID-19. This announcement was made by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

 

This comes a day after the state governments in Uttar Pradesh and Assam announced they would be vaccinating all adults free of cost from May 1. With this, Madhya Pradesh has become the third BJP-ruled state to announce free Covid-19 vaccination for all adults.

 

 

"The Prime Minister has announced a big relaxation to the country by opening the gates for vaccinating those above 18 years. The Centre is yet to formulate detailed guidelines for its rollout, but the vaccines will be administered to all those aged above 18 free of cost, just as it has been done for others in the past," MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced on Wednesday.

 

 

"All above 18 above will be vaccinated in Madhya Pradesh free of cost," he said. Chouhan said that the state government will come out with guidelines concerning the decision.

 

With an aim to curb the rising coronavirus, while chairing an emergency meeting of the state cabinet, the CM also discussed with the ministers about Covid-19 control and associated matters in the state. He also reiterated his decision to provide three months of free ration to all poor people in the state, besides ensuring livelihood and food for migrant laborers in the state.

 

 

On April 19, the central government had announced that everyone above 18 years of age would be eligible for Covid-19 vaccination from May 1. It said private hospitals and states will be able to buy vaccine doses directly from manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the Serum Institute of India said it would be providing its Covishield vaccine at Rs 400 per dose to state governments and Rs 600 per dose to private hospitals from May 1.