Jab at pvt hospitals to cost Rs250/dose

Strap: Disabilities, heart disease, HIV among 20 priority conditions for 45 to 59-yr-olds

Box

Phase-2 from tomorrow

Price break-up

Rs150 vaccine cost

Rs100 service charge

Who all eligible

1. People aged above 60 years

2. 45 to 59-year-olds with specific co-morbidities

3. Healthcare, frontline workers left out in phase-1

20 eligibility conditions for shots

Intellectual disabilities, muscular dystrophy, acid attacks with involvement of respiratory system, deafness and blindness

Heart failure, post-cardiac transplant; significant left ventricular dysfunction

Moderate or severe heart disease, congenital heart disease; coronary artery disease

Hypertension, diabetes; angina, kidney and liver transplant; end-stage kidney disease and HIV

People on steroids and immunosuppressants

Those with cirrhosis, lymphoma, sickle cell disease and thalassemia

Diagnosed with cancer on or after July 1, 2020, or currently on cancer therapy

Cabinet Secy reviews situation in 8 states

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 27

Ahead of the phase-2 Covid vaccinations beginning Monday for 60-plus people and those aged 45 to 59 years with specific co-morbidities, the Centre today capped the cost of inoculation in private hospitals at Rs 250 a dose while it will be free for people visiting government facilities.

The government also listed 20 conditions (see box) to prioritise those aged 45 to 59 years for Covid jabs. The people aged 45 and 59 with any of the listed conditions would need to get a proforma signed by doctors as a certificate of eligibility, which would have to be produced at the time of registration for vaccination.

The above details were shared with states at a virtual meeting chaired by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who said more than 1.5 core vaccinations of health and frontline workers had been done in phase-1 that began on January 16.

“States have been explained that the private hospitals functioning as Covid vaccination centres can charge beneficiaries subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose. User names and passwords will be provided to private facilities for effective use of CoWin-2,” the Health Ministry said.

To expand vaccination capacities, states can use as vaccination centres around 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat Prime Minister Jan Aarogya Yojana, over 600 hospitals empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme and other hospitals empanelled under state health insurance schemes. The government has shared a list of empanelled private hospitals with states.

From March 1, eligible beneficiaries can self-register on Co-Win-2, register on site or attend state-led camp vaccination drives.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba held a review meeting with the Chief Secretaries of Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Telangana and J&K. These states have been reporting a high active caseload for the past week.

The states were told to improve testing, surveillance, monitor mutant strains, focus on high burden districts and ensure stringent adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour.