Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday, has announced that the State government shall provide free COVID-19 vaccine for all those who are in the age group of 18-45 years. Taking part in a high-level review meeting on containing Covid and vaccination, the Chief Minister directed the officials to place orders for vaccines accordingly, ensuring to meet the requirement of vaccinating around 2,04,70,364 people across the State.

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the government had decided to impose a night curfew starting from Saturday (April 24) between 10 pm and 5 am across the State, observing the closure of shops, restaurants and public places. He advised the officials to decentralise rythu bazaars like earlier and make them available at ward level.

Further, the Chief Minister instructed the authorities to ramp up the testing at full capacity and make them available for the public. He told the officials to focus on the supply of oxygen and remdesivir medicine ensuring that they don't reach the black market. He also said that complaints have been received about hospitals overcharging patients for Covid treatment, and instructed them to take strict action against such practices.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities to fully functionalise 104 call centre, responding to every call and providing the required information, including beds' availability. He said to assign one Joint Collector to 104 call centre in each district for monitoring the calls. He told the officials to conduct Class X, Inter, Degree, Engineering examinations as per the schedule without causing any inconvenience to students.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that the supply of oxygen is being delayed due to lack of proper transportation. They said only 64 vehicles were allotted for the supply of oxygen, but at least 100 to 120 vehicles were needed to meet the current demand.

The officials said 515 metric tons of oxygen is required if all the oxygen beds are occupied in the state and 284 metric tons of oxygen on average is being used in government and private hospitals at present. In this regard, the officials said they have requested the Central Government to supply 100 metric tons of oxygen manufactured in RINL, Vizag to the state, and supply oxygen from Tamilnadu and Karnataka.

A total of 21,581 beds are there in 208 COVID hospitals, of which 11,789 beds are occupied and 2,506 people have been admitted in the last 24 hours, the officials said.

Earlier, the Chief Minister has spoken to Barath Biotech MD Krishna Ella and Hetero Drugs MD B. Parthasarathi Reddy over the phone and sought to supply COVID Vaccine doses and Remedsiver injections as per the requirement of the state.