NEW DELHI: India has widened its vaccination prgramme as citizens aged 18 and above will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines starting May 1, according to the country’s health ministry.
“In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an important decision of allowing vaccination to everyone above the age of 18 from 1st May has been taken,” the statement said released on the Press Information Bureau website.
However, with vaccines in short supply in many Indian states, it is unclear where the additional doses will come from. Currently, only people who are health care workers, front-line workers or 45 years and older are eligible to be vaccinated in India.
The government said last week that it only had 27 million doses – or enough jabs for nine days at current rates of vaccination. Meanwhile, vaccine supplies have already dried up in some places with at least five states reporting severe shortages.
Vaccine suppliers such as the serum institute have been unable to meet international requirements and have also warned of raw material shortages affecting production, which is attributed to US export bans on specific items needed to make vaccines.
The Indian government does not plan to not make use of imported vaccines it authorizes, but private providers may do so. India produces more than 60% of all vaccines sold globally and is home to the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine maker.
