In a significant step to exponentially expand the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union government has decided to operationalize both public and private sector Covid-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) on all days of month of April (from today till 30 April 2021).

The Centre has written to all States and Union Territories (UTs) on Thursday (1 April) and asked them to make necessary arrangements to provide Covid-19 vaccination in these CVCs on all days of the month including gazetted holidays during April 2021.

This step has been taken after detailed deliberations with the States/UTs on 31 March, 2021 to optimally utilize all Covid-19 Vaccination Centres across the public and private sectors to ensure rapid increase in the pace and coverage of vaccination.

This decision is in line with the graded and proactive approach employed by the Government of India along with the States/UTs for Covid-19 vaccination, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.

The Vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from Covid-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level.

The government had already decided to start Covid-19 vaccination of all people above 45 years of age from 1 April, 2021 based on the recommendation of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC).