Covid-19 crisis: Allow foreign companies to manufacture vaccines in India, urges Delhi CM Kejriwal

Kejriwal wrote to PM Modi, saying Delhi has run out of stock and will have to shut vaccination centres for youths immediately

Vaccination centres for youths in Delhi will be closed from Sunday as stocks have run out, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday as he urged the Centre to allow foreign companies to manufacture vaccines in the country.

In a digital address, he said the Centre should provide more vaccines to the national capital, which require 80 lakh doses immediately to vaccinate its youth; it has received only 16 lakh doses so far.

He said the Centre has decreased Delhi's quota in June to 8 lakh, adding that the Capital needs 2.5 crore doses to vaccinate all adults. He urged the Centre to raise the quota. "From Sunday, all vaccination centres for those in 18-44 years age group in Delhi will be closed as stocks have run out," he said.

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Kejriwal also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that Delhi has run out of stock and it will have to close vaccination centres for youths immediately, besides raising the issue of halving the number of vaccines for June compared to May.

Giving four suggestions, he said the Centre should direct all companies within 24 hours to make vaccines as Bharat Biotech has agreed to share Covaxin's formula with other firms.

"Foreign companies should be allowed to produce vaccines in India. Vaccines manufactured abroad should be used in India and the Centre needs to buy vaccines on the behalf of states. The Centre should try to get vaccines from such countries that have more doses than what they need," he added.

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On the situation in Delhi, he said the spread of Covid-19 has "significantly slowed down" in Delhi.

According to the medical bulletin, there were 2,260 cases in the 24 hours while the positivity rate has slipped to 3.58%. The death toll has slipped below 200 with the Capital recording 182 deaths.

On Friday, there were 3,009 cases while the positivity rate was 4.76%. There were 252 deaths.