Delhi, Bihar to Reimburse Centre for Using Covid Jabs as Free Precaution Dose, Say Sources

elhi and Bihar, which have started administering free Covid precaution doses for the 18-59 year age group, have to reimburse the National Health Authority for using the available stock of jabs provided by the Union government for the purpose, official sources said Friday. Following requests from these two states, the Union Health Ministry has made a provision on the CoWIN portal for creating sessions to administer the precaution doses at government Covid vaccination centres, they said.

They had sought permission from the ministry to use the available stock of Covid vaccine as precaution dose in government vaccination centres free of cost, saying they would reimburse or replenish the stock upon procurement. “The Union Health Ministry has agreed to their proposal… But they shall reimburse the cost of the vaccine used for the purpose to the National Health Authority,” an official source said.

The Union government had announced that the precaution dose of anti-COVID19 vaccines will be available to everyone aged above 18 years at the private vaccination centres beginning April 10. The Delhi government had written to the Union Health Ministry, saying that the uptake of precaution doses at private Covid vaccination centres (CVCs) was not very promising.