All adults in India to get COVID-19 vaccine free of cost

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the federal government of the country would provide COVID-19 vaccines free of charge to all adults from later this month in an effort to turn the tide of a pandemic that has killed hundreds of thousands in India.

Modi said in a televised address that the federal government would take over the task of vaccination from state governments, reports Reuters.

"It has been decided that from June 21, all adults over the age of 18 will be vaccinated free," he said.

Under the earlier policy, the federal government gave free vaccines to the elderly and frontline workers and left state governments and private hospitals to administer doses for a fee to people in the 18-45 age group.