Centre’s paid vaccination policy for age groups 18-44 irrational, arbitrary: Supreme Court

New Delhi, June 02: The Supreme Court has termed as arbitrary and irrational the Centre's policy of paid vaccination for those in the age group of 18-44.

Reports indicate that persons between the age of 18-44 of age have not only been infected by COVID-19, but have suffered from severe effects as well, which includes prolonged hospitalisation and in unfortunate cases, death, the Bench said.

Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, we are now faced with a situation where those in the age group of 18-44 also need to be vaccinated, although the priority may be retained between different age groups on a scientific basis, the court also said.

"Hence, due to the importance of vaccinating individuals in the 18-44 age group, the policy of the Central Government for conducting free vaccination themselves for groups under the first 2 phases, and replacing it with paid vaccination by the State/UT Governments and private hospitals for the persons between 18-44 years is, prima facie, arbitrary and irrational,"said the order.

On Monday, the Centre had informed the court that it is confident of vaccinating all of the country's adult citizens against COVID-19 by the end of the year. The court said the government should take charge amidst the ongoing shortage of doses.

"In a national crisis, the central government should procure vaccines for the entire country. States are left in a lurch. You should tell them that we will negotiate globally and procure vaccines for them so that there is clarity," a Bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said.