The COVID-19 vaccine will be made available to people free of cost to people in Kerala, chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
¡°No one will be charged for the vaccine. This is the stand of the government,¡± Vijayan said in Kannur.
Kerala is the latest to announce free of cost COVID-19 vaccine for its people. States, including Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, have already made a similar announcement.
The Centre on Tuesday said three COVID-19 vaccines, developed by Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute of India and Pfizer, are under active consideration of India¡¯s drug regulator and there is hope that early licensure is possible for all or any of them.
Five vaccine candidates are under trial in the country.
Vijayan said the quantity of the vaccine that would be allotted to the state by the Centre is not yet known.
¡°The fact is that the number of COVID-19 cases are decreasing, which is a matter of relief. However, it needs to be seen if the local body polls, two phases of which are over, would contribute to an increase in cases. That will be known only in the days to come,¡± he said.