<p>Kerala government has decided to purchase one crore doses of Covid vaccines directly for vaccinating people in the 18-45 age group which is set to begin from May 1.</p>.<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state cabinet on Wednesday gave the nod for the vaccine purchase.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the Covid cases in Kerala surged further with 35,013 more cases being reported on Wednesday and the test positivity rate escalating to 25.34 percent. The number of active cases reached 2,66,646.</p>.<p>The state will purchase 70 lakh doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India for Rs. 294 crore at the rate of Rs. 400 per dose and 30 lakh doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech for Rs. 189 crore at the rate of Rs. 600 per dose and GST. The prices will be subject to pending court cases and this would be mentioned in the purchase order. The decisions were taken based on the recommendations of a committee headed by Chief Secretary V P Joy for the purpose, said Vijayan.</p>.<p>He strongly flayed the centre's vaccine policy denying free vaccine to 18-45 age group. All vaccines are being provided to the people by the centre free of cost over the years. It was unfortunate that the centre was denying free Covid vaccine to all. The centre should also ensure a uniform price of vaccine for state and centre. Kerala government had already taken up these issues with the centre. But so far there was not positive response, Vijayan said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, there are widespread complaints regarding the ongoing vaccination drives in Kerala for those in the 45 plus age category. Many complaint that even as the daily vaccine bulletin of the state health department was showing vaccine stock of over four lakh on most of these recent days they were not able to get a time schedule for vaccination as the CoWin app gives the message that 'No vaccination centre available'.</p>.<p>The Chief Minister said that the ongoing free vaccine supply could not be streamlined properly owing to inadequate supply of vaccines from the centre. He also said that sufficient vaccine need to be reserved to ensure second dose of vaccine to those who got the first dose about six week back. </p>.<p>A health department official said that the district health officials are updating the vaccine stock on CoWin on a limited basis only to avoid rush at the vaccinations centres. Since there is a mad rush for vaccinations now, the stock was getting booked with in minutes after the stock was updated on CoWin. Hence many are not able to get the vaccination schedule.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, there were allegations that vaccinations were being given through backdoor to the influential by overlooking the scheduling in the CoWin app.</p>
<p>Kerala government has decided to purchase one crore doses of Covid vaccines directly for vaccinating people in the 18-45 age group which is set to begin from May 1.</p>.<p>Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state cabinet on Wednesday gave the nod for the vaccine purchase.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, the Covid cases in Kerala surged further with 35,013 more cases being reported on Wednesday and the test positivity rate escalating to 25.34 percent. The number of active cases reached 2,66,646.</p>.<p>The state will purchase 70 lakh doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India for Rs. 294 crore at the rate of Rs. 400 per dose and 30 lakh doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech for Rs. 189 crore at the rate of Rs. 600 per dose and GST. The prices will be subject to pending court cases and this would be mentioned in the purchase order. The decisions were taken based on the recommendations of a committee headed by Chief Secretary V P Joy for the purpose, said Vijayan.</p>.<p>He strongly flayed the centre's vaccine policy denying free vaccine to 18-45 age group. All vaccines are being provided to the people by the centre free of cost over the years. It was unfortunate that the centre was denying free Covid vaccine to all. The centre should also ensure a uniform price of vaccine for state and centre. Kerala government had already taken up these issues with the centre. But so far there was not positive response, Vijayan said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, there are widespread complaints regarding the ongoing vaccination drives in Kerala for those in the 45 plus age category. Many complaint that even as the daily vaccine bulletin of the state health department was showing vaccine stock of over four lakh on most of these recent days they were not able to get a time schedule for vaccination as the CoWin app gives the message that 'No vaccination centre available'.</p>.<p>The Chief Minister said that the ongoing free vaccine supply could not be streamlined properly owing to inadequate supply of vaccines from the centre. He also said that sufficient vaccine need to be reserved to ensure second dose of vaccine to those who got the first dose about six week back. </p>.<p>A health department official said that the district health officials are updating the vaccine stock on CoWin on a limited basis only to avoid rush at the vaccinations centres. Since there is a mad rush for vaccinations now, the stock was getting booked with in minutes after the stock was updated on CoWin. Hence many are not able to get the vaccination schedule.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, there were allegations that vaccinations were being given through backdoor to the influential by overlooking the scheduling in the CoWin app.</p>