Karnataka to still decide on free Covid-19 vaccine for the state

Photo Credits: AP

Deputy Chief Minister of the state, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan stated on Sunday that the BJP-led state government will shortly make a decision on whether to provide free Covid-19 vaccine to the state. He said, “A meeting has been convened here after Dasara to decide on the free distribution of the vaccine to treat the Covid-19 pandemic, as and when the Central Government makes it available for the state.”

According to the orders issued by the Centre, the Karnataka Government has already taken the decision to provide free vaccine to the top priority healthcare warriors which includes the doctors, nurses, paramedics and their associates who have been at the fore-front help the patients treat since mid-March.

Narayan further said, “As COVID-19 patients are already being tested and treated free in state-run hospitals, they will be administered the vaccine free of charge. The Chief Minister will decide on giving it free for all.”

When BJP released the Bihar manifesto for the Bihar elections from October 28, it promised of free vaccine for the state, which further raised the proposition about the vaccine to be circulated for free in BJP-led Karnataka.

Opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah pestered the state government for announcing free vaccine in the state as promised in Bihar manifesto. He said, “As the BJP has made providing vaccine free an election issue in Bihar, its government in the state should also declare it free for the Karnataka people.”

Siddaramaiah further added, “Of the 28 Lok Sabha members from the state, as 25 are from the ruling BJP, they should ensure that vaccine to treat COVID-19 is made available free to our people too.”

Meanwhile, the state of Karnataka registered 7,98,378 positive cases of Covid-19, of which 7,00,737 cases have recovered, nearly 86,749 of the them are under-going treatment and 10,873 have died so far due to the deadly virus.