Aged 45-plus and Want to Get Vaccinated for Covid-19? Know if You Qualify for the Next Phase

The COVID-19 vaccination drive opens up for 27 crore eligible beneficiaries for the next phase from Monday as part of which people over 60 years and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities can get the vaccine from March 1.

The government has issued a list of 20 specified comorbidities for the determination of eligibility of people that need to be prioritised for inoculation.

To determine which comorbidities would be considered for those over 45 years of age to qualify for vaccination was a subject that was deliberated amongst the top most relevant experts of the country and opinion were taken from relevant quarters.

Following are the 20 comorbidities that the expert committee has zeroed in on:

1. Heart failure with hospital admission in the past one year.

2. Post cardiac transplant/ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

3. Significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF < 40%). 4. Moderate or severe valvular heart disease. 5. Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH. 6. Coronary artery disease with past CABG/ PTCA/ MI AND hypertension/diabetes on treatment. 7. Angina and hypertension/ diabetes treatment. 8. CT/MRI documented stroke and hypertension/diabetes on treatment. 9. Pulmonary artery hypertension and hypertension/diabetes on treatment 10. Diabetes (>10 years or with complication) and hypertension on treatment

11. Kidney/Liver/Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/on wait-list

12. End stage kidney disease on haemodialysis/CAPD

13. Current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/immunosuppressant medications.

14. Decompensated cirrhosis.

15. Severe respiratory disease with hospitalisations in last two years/ FEVI <50%.

16. Lymphoma/Leukaemia/Myeloma

17. Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after July 1,2020 OR currently on any cancer therapy.

18. Sickle Cell Disease/Bone marrow failure/Aplastic Anemia/Thalassemia Major

19. Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/HIV infection

20. Persons with disabilities due to intellectual disabilities/muscular dystrophy/acid attack with involvement of respiratory system/Persons with disabilities having high support needs/multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness.

A certificate of comorbidity for citizens between the age of 45 years to 59 years (signed by a registered medical practitioner) and employment certificate/ official identity card (with photo and date of birth) will have to be provided (while self-registering on Co-Win 2.0 portal or other IT applications such as Arogya Setu/or physically taking the document to the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre). There will be an on-site registration facility as well for beneficiaries to walk-in to a centre of their choice.

The government has capped the price of vaccines in private hospitals at Rs 250 per person, per dose. Vaccination at government vaccination centres will be free of charge.

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