Free vax for 18-44 age group in Delhi from June 21: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that people between 18-44 age group will also be included in – ‘Jahaan Vote, Wahaan Vaccine’ from June 21 as the Centre has announced to provide COVID-19 jabs for youth free of cost.

Kejriwal’s remarks came during a visit to inspect ongoing vaccination drives for people above 45 years at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya located at Lancer Road. The AAP-led Delhi government has started administering Covid jabs for those above 45 age groups at polling booths in each municipal ward.

However, as of now this vaccination drive is being conducted in just a few municipal wards only, which will be extended to all 280 wards in the national capital in coming days.

Earlier, Delhi government has been inviting people to get vaccine doses at nearest government-schools, apart from government-run hospitals and health care centers, and now these centers are being shifted to polling booths in municipal wards.

“It is a very good thing that starting June 21, the Central Government is going to provide us with the vaccines. So, if we get the vaccines, then we will start vaccinating everyone under this scheme,” Kejriwal said.

During the inspection of the vaccination drive on Wednesday, Kejriwal also pointed out that there has been multiple rumours spreading among the people that lead to vaccine hesitancy. “It is the responsibility of all of us to dispel such rumours,” he added.

He further informed that around 50 per cent people above 45 category have been vaccinated in Delhi and the remaining 50 per cent will be vaccinated in the next four weeks.

“In Delhi, there are about 57 lakh people above the age of 45 years. Around 27-28 lakh people have been vaccinated and around 30 lakh people are left to be vaccinated. But now we were observing that not many people were turning up at the vaccination centers, all over Delhi. We thought that we had to invite people from their homes and make them aware. So, this is a new initiative where you get vaccinated where you vote,” he said.