Covid in MP: Vaccination for 18-44 age group to begin on May 5, says CM Chouhan

Vaccination for the people in the age group of 18 to 44 years will begin in Madhya Pradesh on May 5, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, adding 5.29 crore doses will be needed for this purpose.

Chouhan said the state government has already placed orders to purchase 4.25 crore doses of Covishield and about 52.25 lakh doses of Covaxin.

"We are constantly making efforts to get the supply of vaccines from both the manufacturers as soon as possible," he told reporters.

The CM said both the manufacturers are not in a position to specify the exact quantum of vaccines they will be providing to Madhya Pradesh.

"The state government has planned to administer 1.5 lakh jabs every day. We will start vaccination (for the 18-44 age group) from May 5. The vaccines will be administered free of cost to all the citizens," he added.

The vaccination drive for the 18-44 category, which was scheduled to take off on May 1, was deferred due to the unavailability of vaccines in Madhya Pradesh.

Vaccination of eligible beneficiaries from other categories is already going on in the state.

Madhya Pradesh's Covid-19 tally stood at 6,00,430 on Monday while the death toll reached 5,905, as per the state health department.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath doubted the feasibility of the vaccination programme announced by Chouhan.

"The vaccination programme, which should ideally be held round-the-clock at a very fast pace, will now be held in sessions on different dates in the state and that too in limited numbers. It will take months to vaccinate the citizens of the state," Nath said.

He alleged Covid-19 patients and their families are still struggling to get a bed in a hospital, medical oxygen and life-saving drugs.

"....Who is responsible for this situation?" he asked.