Apollo, Max hospitals confirm COVID-19 vaccine rollout for third phase from May 1

Apollo Hospital and Max Hospital confirmed on April 30 that they will start vaccinating beneficiaries aged 18 to 44 years from May 1 at limited centres across the country. Both private hospitals will be among the first to begin vaccinating citizens aged above 18 years. Covishield shots will be available at Apollo, the hospital authorities have said. The Apollo group said: “Realising the criticality of vaccinating the citizens to mitigate the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 infections, Apollo Hospitals has taken the initiative and made arrangements to procure the vaccines directly from the manufacturers, as per the government directive.”

The third phase of India’s coronavirus vaccination drive is beginning, from May 1 under which all persons aged above 18 will be eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The announcement comes at a time when many states have announced that they will not be able to begin vaccinating the 18-44 age group due to a shortage of vaccines.As India continues to grapple with surge in Covid-19 cases and the resultant oxygen shortage at hospitals, the Centre on Friday said the second wave of Covid-19 is five times the peak in first wave in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, 4.5 times in Chhattisgarh and 3.3 times in Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the national capital has not yet received covid-19 vaccinations and that his government is in constant touch with companies for the same. This comes a day before India is set to open vaccinations for all adults. “We’ve requested both companies to make available to us 67 lakh doses each in the next 3 months. Delhi govt is ready to make payments for it. People of Delhi will be given free vaccines, Kejriwal said at a Covid-19 presser.