JOIN US'#VaccineChallenge' in Kerala, Rs 26 lakh received in CMDRF in a day
A '#VaccineChallenge' in the social media challenging those receiving free Covid vaccines in Kerala to donate the vaccine cost to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund is receiving response with around Rs. 26 lakh being received as contribution in hardly 24 hours time.
A total of 1035 persons who took up the challenge made the contributions so far.
It was as a mark of protest against the Centre's new Covid vaccine policy and in support of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's assurance that vaccines will be provided free of cost to all that the '#VaccineChallenge' got triggered in the social media by Wednesday evening.
Vijayan said on Thursday evening that so far Rs. 26 lakh was received in the CMDRF on this account. "This is the strength of Kerala. The state could overcome all crisis with the unity of the people," said Vijayan.
The vaccine challenge came close on the heels of Vijayan raising serious concerns over the Centre's new vaccine policy maintaining that the states are not in a financial position to bear the cost of vaccines and hence the centre should ensure free vaccine supply to the states.
While the challenge was that those receiving the free vaccine dose may contribute Rs. 400 per vaccine, the cost fixed by Serum Institute of India for Covishield, to the CMDRF, many had even contributed a higher amount to the CMDRF in this connection. Many had also shared the certificate of the contribution they made to CMDRF and challenging others.
Many taking part in the '#VaccineChallenge' are protesting against the Centre's vaccine policy as well as backing Pinarayi Vijayan's stand. There were also allegations that the Centre was trying to help the private sector by allowing private sector in the field.
Writer Deepa Nishant, who was among those who accepted the challenge, said in her post that the natural calamities had reminded us that heavy rain can wash away all that one had amassed. But the state had overcome all such difficult situations. Hence this crisis situation could be also overcome by standing together. Getting vaccinated oneself would not make one safe. All need to be vaccinated, she said.