Phase II Of COVID Vaccination Begins Across India

The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive begins in India on Monday for senior citizens and citizens above the age of 45 with comorbidities.

The phase II of vaccination drive will begin from 9 am on March 1 and the union ministry of health and family welfare have asked all private hospitals to prepare their storage systems and equipment that will be used in administering the COVID-19 vaccine.

The government aims to cover an estimated 27 crore persons across the country in this phase.

Private vaccination centres will have to pay Rs 250 per dose— Rs 150 for the shot and Rs 100 as the operational charge.

The health ministry stated that vaccines will be available free of cost at government hospitals.

Last month, nearly 1.4 crore Indians were administered the first shots of Covid-19 vaccine in phase 1.

People can register themselves on the CoWin portal that facilitates a user with all the information on the second phase of vaccination drive. An excerpt from the statement released by the health department on Sunday read "Appointment for vaccination can be booked online prior registration and appointment based on available slots on COWIN portal."

The process of administering the vaccine will follow similar norms as in phase-1 under which the type of the vaccine being administered will not be disclosed at the time of appointment. However, referring to Covishield and Covaxin, the government guidelines clarify "A Covid vaccination center shall usually have only one type of vaccine throughout the vaccination drive. This is necessary to avoid mixing of vaccine types in 1st and 2nd dose of a beneficiary."