A new vaccine regime

Govt conducts welcome course correction

The Union government has announced a major change to its vaccine distribution plan, new guidelines that it is calling the “liberalised and accelerated phase 3 strategy”. The biggest move is that, from May 1, all Indians above the age of 18 will be permitted to get the vaccine. The Union government itself will continue to restrict access to free vaccines to those above 45, alongside health care workers and front line workers as before, and will have the right to half the production of vaccines domestically. In addition, state governments have been “empowered” to buy vaccines directly from manufacturers and