Delhi's first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination centre shuts

The first drive-through vaccination centre in the national capital, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 26, has shut shop after two weeks of functioning.

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New Delhi: Delhi’s first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination centre has shut shop on Friday (June 11, 2021), after two weeks of functioning, as the Centre's price cap for vaccines has made operation unviable. 

The first drive-through vaccination centre in the national capital was inaugurated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 26 and was organised by Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital at Vegas Mall, Dwarka. 

“Delhi’s First Drive Thru, a highly safe, convenient way for public, which we ran non-stop for 15 days, we have decided to stop now, owing to new vaccination pricing, as running it has become unviable now,” read a statement issued by the hospital on Friday.

The COVID-19 vaccination jabs at the centre were initially priced at Rs 1,400 per dose of Covishield. As per the hospital authorities, over 10,000 people were vaccinated at the centre.

On June 8, the central government set the maximum price private hospitals can charge for the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country- Covishield Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V Rs 1,145.

In a letter to all states and union territories on June 8, the Union health ministry had suggested that strict action be taken against private vaccination centres overcharging for vaccines. 

Meanwhile, Delhi on Friday recorded 238 new COVID-19 cases and 24 fatalities, according to the state health bulletin. The new additions took the case tally to 1,430,671 and toll to 24,772, as per the bulletin. The positivity rate in the national capital stood at 0.31 percent on Friday.

(With Agency inputs)