Arvind Kejriwal has said Delhi will shut down this weekend to "break the chain of transmission".
Delhi Chief Minister Avind Kejriwal today reiterated his call to allow Covid vaccination for younger people, citing that they are more vulnerable in the countrywide second wave. In Delhi, 65 per cent of all COVID-19 cases are under the age of 35-40, "so we need these restrictions on eligibility lifted for Delhi," Mr Kejriwal said.
"I personally feel that this age-restriction on vaccines needs to be done away with," the Chief Minister said while speaking to NDTV today. "We need to break the chain, and the chain can only be broken when maximum people get vaccinated... and for that we need to lift these restrictions," he said.
Not just Delhi, data from other states, including Maharashtra, indicates that Covid, in its second wave, is mostly targeting younger people, unlike the first time when the elderly people were considered most at risk.
Part of the reason is the formation of new strains with "double mutations", which have been found in patients from 10 states, sources in the Union Health Ministry have told NDTV.
A "double mutation" is when two mutated strains of a virus come together to form a third strain. Delhi has a mix of the UK strain of the virus as well strains with double mutations, sources have told NDTV.
The Centre has said that it is following the World Health Organisation's guidelines on vaccine distribution.
The WHO has mandated that in view of the initial shortage of vaccine, they be first given to the most vulnerable groups. Later, the base can be extended as production capacities expand and supply becomes easy.
Asked about the possibility of pilferage, black-marketing, or development of fake vaccines if Central control is removed, Mr Kejriwal said: "See, pilferage and duplicate medicines are a risk for any medicine or drug. But there are enforcement agencies to ensure that doesn't happen. So, that is a weak argument for not opening the vaccine sale".
On Wednesday evening, Delhi reported 17,282 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24-hour period -- the highest-ever single-day surge in the capital.
The Chief Minister said the city will shut down this weekend to "break the chain of transmission" under which only essential activities - including weddings or travel from airports and train stations -- will be allowed.
Auditoriums, restaurants, malls, gyms and spas will be shut.