Centre to increase COVID-19 vaccine coverage in July and August, vows Amit Shah

Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the Central government has decided to increase the pace of vaccination against COVID-19 in July and August. Talking to reporters after visiting a vaccination centre in Ahmedabad, Shah said with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to provide free vaccine against COVID-19 to people aged 18 and above, “we will fast achieve the goal of inoculating almost everyone”. “The central government has decided to increase the pace of vaccination in July and August,” he added. Shah said from Monday morning, an important journey has started in the fight against COVID-19 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM had taken an important decision that the Centre will provide free of cost vaccination to those aged 18 and above, he said while congratulating Modi for it. In a country having such huge population, providing free vaccination is a big decision, Shah said. On the International Yoga Day on Monday, the drive of free vaccine for all is being launched across the country, Shah said, adding that India was already on top in the vaccination programme. “Now we will reach the target to vaccinate almost all very fast,” he said after visiting the vaccination centre at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya hall in Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad. Shah also appealed to citizens to get vaccinated against the coronavirus at the earliest. “Those who have taken their first dose, should also get their second shot if it is due as per the government’s guideline. Only after receiving both the doses can we make ourselves safe against coronavirus,” Shah said. He was accompanied by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Shah, who represents the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, is on a two-day visit to his home state. He started his tour with a visit to the vaccination centre in Ahmedabad, where the local civic body aims to reach a daily inoculation target of one lakh starting Monday. The Union minister is also scheduled to visit two more such centres in the state capital Gandhinagar. From Monday, the Gujarat government also launched a spot registration facility for beneficiaries in the age group of 18 to 44 years along with a mega vaccination drive with the aim of increasing the pace of inoculation. The state government said the aim of the special drive is to generate awareness among members of the public about the importance of vaccination in the fight against coronavirus. The mega drive was launched with a ‘vaccine utsav’ (vaccine festival) organised in the presence of various ministers, leaders and dignitaries across 1,025 such centres in 33 districts and 8 municipal areas of the state, the government said in a release.