Aadhaar card, permanent residency proof not mandatory for 18+ group to get COVID-19 vaccine in Uttar Pradesh

The Aadhaar card and permanent residency certificate will not be mandatory for getting the COVID-19 jab in Uttar Pradesh.

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government made Aadhaar card and permanent residency certificate not mandatory for getting the COVID-19 vaccine for the age group between 18-44 years.

The Yogi Adityanath-led government issued new instructions to inoculate the citizens of the state stating that the Aadhaar and permanent residency certificate will not be mandatory for getting the jab. Vaccination will be administered after producing any proof of residence in UP.

Meanwhile, all permanent and nonpermanent residents of the state in the 18-44 age bracket will be eligible for the vaccination drive. 

These directives come after the UP government received flak for mandating that the beneficiaries must produce a local address proof to get the jab. The government websites of Uttar Pradesh with vaccine date booking facility showed only slots for UP residents.  

While address proofs like Aadhaar, passport, driving license, ration card and voter card etc were also made mandatory for getting the vaccine.

The third phase of the coronavirus vaccination drive which began in 11 districts of the state has seen 2.16 lakh getting their first dose in the 18-44 category so far, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad informed on Wednesday. 

UP recorded 18,125 fresh COVID-19 cases pushing the infection count to 15,63,238, while 329 new fatalities pushed the death toll 16,372, as per state officials.

(With PTI inputs)