COVID vaccine in Delhi to be free for all once it arrives: Health Minister Satyendar Jain

NEW DELHI: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday said COVID-19 vaccine will be provided to people in the national capital for free once it arrives, and asserted that the city government has made preparations for the vaccination drive.

Interacting with reporters during his visit to a facility in Daryaganj as part of a dry run exercise held here to assess the preparations for the vaccine roll-out, Jain said the system "seems flawless" as of now.

"I came to see the preparations as part of the dry run being done. Three sites have been selected for it -- GTB Hospital Shahdara, Urban Primary Health Centre, Daryaganj, and Venkateshwar Hospital, Dwarka," he said.

All preparations are being done, and 1,000 vaccine centres will be set up across the city, the health minister said.

When asked if the vaccine will be free of cost, Jain said, "Yes, and in Delhi, the treatment and medicines are given for free."

Vaccination centres will either be hospitals or facilities linked to hospitals, he said.

Asked what will happen if complications are noticed after vaccination, Jain said emergency rooms will be set up at the centres, and those getting the vaccine dose will be kept there under observation for half an hour.

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The minister said the Delhi government has so far made preparations to vaccinate one lakh people in a day.

Social distancing will be maintained, and people will be brought to the centres in batches, he added.

The Delhi government is fully prepared to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccine to 51 lakh priority category persons in the city in the first phase of vaccination, Jain said.

These include healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 50 and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities.