NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, MAR 1
The COVID-19 vaccination drive for senior citizens and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities began in government and designated private hospitals in Gujarat on Monday along with the rest of the country.
Some target beneficiaries could be seen outside these centres from the morning, with the doses being free in government facilities and Rs 250 in private ones empaneled under the Union government’s PMJAY and state government’s Ma Vatsalya Yojana, officials said.
Around 60 lakh people in the state come under the senior citizen and 45 plus with comorbidities categories, they added.
Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the state government had made all preparations for the drive, with centres being set up in 2,195 government and 536 private health facilities, and 30,000 trained staff being deployed.
Among those who got inoculated at a private hospital in Gandhinagar was Rupani’s wife Anjali who said she had taken the vaccine to “send a message that people need not fear and must get vaccinated to defeat coronavirus”.
“As per the Centre’s guidelines, family members of ministers should get vaccinated at private hospitals, which is why I have taken it here,” she said.
