Kejriwal urges Centre to relax eligibility criteria for vaccination

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today urged the Central government to relax the eligibility restrictions for the vaccination drive to make the vaccine available for all age groups.

He further claimed that if the Centre permits the vaccination for all beneficiaries, the Delhi Government can innoculate the entire Delhi in three months.

"If walk-in vaccinations are allowed for everybody, we can vaccinate the whole of Delhi in three months," Kejriwal was quoted.

Asserting that the eligibility criteria for receiving the vaccines was restrictive in terms of age group the CM, plans to write to the Centre to relax the vaccination parameters so that more centres could administer shots and for longer periods.

While assuring that there was nothing to worry about getting vaccinated, the CM appealed everyone those who are eligible to get vaccinated.

"I appeal to everyone, who is eligible, to get themselves vaccinated. 30,000-40,000 vaccines are being administered per day, as of now. We will increase this to 1.25 lakh vaccines per day. In the next few days, we are increasing our capacity," the Delhi CM added.

The Delhi Government has also increased the timing of vaccination by four hours. The changes in the timing have been undertaken to ensure that more people can be vaccinated.

As per reports, the positivity rate has increased in the national capital over the past week. Over 500 cases have been reported on March 17, which is the highest since January.

The first phase of the vaccination drive in India has rolled out on January 16, under which only health care workers and frontline workers were allowed to be immunised. In the following phase, the government permitted those above 60 years and people with commodities to be included in the drive.

As per guidelines, the vaccination drive will be extended to the general public once the most vulnerable to the viral disease are covered.

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