The health ministry said in its letter that vaccines can only be administered at government and private inoculation centres and at workplaces, community centres, panchayat bhawans, school, colleges and old age homes on a temporary basis. “Apart from this, there is no other avenue to carry out vaccination under the National Covid vaccination programme, therefore vaccination carried out at star hotels is contrary to the guidelines and must be stopped immediately,” the government added.

The Centre directed officials in states to ensure that the inoculation drive is carried out as per its guidelines. On saturday, delhi Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia asked how private hospitals were getting vaccines even though the Centre told the states that there were no stocks. Meanwhile, aam aadmi party leader Raghav Chadha tweeted a luxury hotel’s advertisement of a vaccination package, which included meals and clinical consultations.