Free COVID-19 vaccines in India from June 21: Everything you need to know

All Indian citizens above the age of 18 will get free novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine from June 21, 2021, according to the Union government.

The Centre is rolling out its new centralised free vaccination policy from today. The move is expected to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India, which is currently at four million doses a day on average.

Online CoWin registration for the COVID-19 vaccine is no longer mandatory. All vaccination centres, both government and private, will provide onsite registration facilities.

The Centre will buy 75 per cent of all vaccines produced from vaccine manufacturers. It will then give the vaccines to the state governments free of cost. Free vaccine doses will be distributed to states and Union territories on criteria such as population, disease burden and progress of vaccination.

Earlier, the state governments needed to procure and administer half the vaccines for the 18-45 age group. Now, the states may only need to provide assistance to the Common Service Centres and call centres to help citizens book vaccination slots.

The Centre has capped the maximum price which private hospitals can charge for 3 available vaccines. Covishield for Rs 780; Covaxin for Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V for Rs 1,145.