Coronavirus / If need arises, COVID-19 vaccine will be provided for free to people of Delhi: CM

New Delhi: New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government will provide coronavirus vaccine free to the people of Delhi if the Centre fails to do so.

Kejriwal said that he has already appealed to the Centre for ensuring free vaccination in the country as "there are many people who may not afford the life-saving shot".

"I request everyone to not spread misinformation about Covid-19 vaccine. I had appealed to the Central govt that Covid-19 vaccination should be provided free of cost to all. If the Centre does not do it and a need arises, the vaccine will be provided for free to people of Delhi," Kejriwal told media during his visit to meet the family of Dr Hitesh Gupta who died due to COVID-19.

Ahead of the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive which is scheduled to begin on January 16, CM Kejriwal has called a meeting today at 11 am to review the rollout plan.

The COVID-19 vaccination drive will begin in Delhi from Saturday. In the first phase, healthcare workers will be vaccinated followed by frontline workers. Teachers have also been included in the category of frontline workers, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had earlier said.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 357 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the infection tally in the city to over 6.31 lakh as per the state health department. The death toll mounted to 10,718 with 11 new fatalities. The active cases tally on Wednesday dropped to 2,991.