Arvind Kejriwal starts free drive-through Covid vaccination in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday kickstarted Delhi government's first drive-through vaccination centre at Chhatrasal Stadium where vaccines for 45-plus age group will be administered.
It is Delhi's second drive-through vaccination centre. The below 45 group will also be allowed to get the shots at this facility once the vaccination shortage is over. Currently vaccination for the 18-44 age group is on hold in Delhi government due to shortage of vaccines.
The CM said that the vaccine is free at the drive through vaccination centre located at Chhatrasal Stadium.
“People can come here in their cars, motorcycles, some are even on foot, and can get vaccinated here. Currently, this has been initiated for those above the age of 45 years because there is no vaccine for those below the age of 45 years. As soon as adequate vaccines arrive, vaccination for those below the age of 45 (18-44 years) will also be started,” CM stated after inaugurating the facility.
Kejriwal also interacted with some of the beneficiaries and learned that they are very happy with the entire arrangement.
Explaining the steps AAP government is taking to fight vaccination shortage, Kejriwal said Delhi government has floated a global tender for procuring 1 crore vaccine doses on urgent basis.
“We are making all the efforts from our side but till now all the governments which floated global tenders did not get encouraging response. So we have floated the global tender with the hope that a company comes forward, but on a general note from what I have understood is that all the big vaccine manufacturing companies of the world want to deal directly with the central government and are communicating directly with them,” the CM said.
Delhi government has demanded drugs from the Centre as per the needs for fighting black fungus. “I understand that there is a countrywide paucity of black fungus medicines. The central government is giving whatever it can. As I understand, more injections of this medicine will be procured and will be distributed to all the state governments," said Kejriwal.
Since AAP has been assailing the Centre over vaccination shortage, the opposition parties have accused the AAP of politicising the issue. On the question of politicizing the vaccine procurement, Kejriwal said, “We just want vaccines, where is the politicization in this? The people need vaccines, they should tell where we should get the vaccines from. The central government has to procure the vaccines, after doing so they should give them to us and we will administer them to everyone. This is not the time for petty politics. This is not the time to play a blame game. This is not the time for finger-pointing. This is not the time for debate and counter. The country is suffering from a pandemic.”
Kejriwal further stated that the experience of all of the world shows that vaccination is the sole solution for this. They should buy vaccines for the entire country and distribute them to the state governments. “We will administer them. Why they are debating over this is beyond my understanding,” he added.