New Delhi: With state governments running out of both varieties of vaccines and having to either shut down vaccination centres or ration them, several states and Union Territories, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha, are planning to float global tenders to procure vaccines and ramp up the inoculation drive. Many of them blamed the Centre for the shortage and said that its new policy is forcing states to compete with each to procure vaccines rather than help each other.
The Maharashtra government indicated on Tuesday that it would buy vaccines from the global market to cater to its needs. Delhi’s deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia too said the AAP government will float a global tender for procuring coronavirus vaccines.
Maharashtra health minister announced that the state will give priority to those in the 45-plus age category and needing a second dose. Addressing a press conference, he alleged that the BJP-ruled Centre…