Most Union ministers want to pay to get vaccinated against COVID: Prasad

Most of the Union ministers would want to pay to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday.

His comments came after the government announced that everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 for free at government facilities and for a charge at many private hospitals.

Asked whether ministers and the prime minister, who would be in the category of those who can take the vaccination, will get inoculated, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, at a post-Cabinet media briefing, said those who want to take the vaccination will take it at the place of their choosing from March 1. Prasad, who also briefed the media on the Cabinet decisions, said most of the ministers would want to pay to get vaccinated.

On another question about leaders in other countries taking the vaccination shots first, Prasad said it is about point of view.

''In many places, prime ministers and ministers are getting it done, here we thought that first we will get our health sector fighters vaccinated,'' he said.