Sonia asks PM to lower Covid vaccination eligibility age to 25

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 17

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday asked the government to lower the COVID vaccine age eligibility to 25 in place of 45 and said medical equipment and drugs being used for COVID management and treatment be exempted from the GST.

Addressing a meeting of the Congress Working Committee to discuss the alarming COVID surge, Gandhi said the government must ensure safe transport of workers in the wake of reverse migration and Rs 6,000 income guarantee for the vulnerable to help them tide over the consequences of lockdowns and restrictions.

Noting that she had written to the PM with the party’s suggestions after meeting Congress CMs, Gandhi again called for export ban on COVID vaccines but lamented the silence on the part of the Centre.

Accusing the government of not heeding to her, she said, “There has been silence on the part of the government. On the contrary, some other states have received preferential treatment and relief. Instead of listening to the constructive suggestions of the opposition, Union ministers are pressed into service to target leaders of opposition for giving the suggestions. This convoluted “me versus you” debate is childish and totally unnecessary,” she said.

Gandhi said India had already exported nearly 6.5 crore Covid vaccine dosages to other countries, adding, “Considering the highest infection rate in the world in our own country, shouldn’t vaccine export be held back and priority given to protect our citizens? Is

boasting about our generosity to other countries going to help the thousands of our people who are dying?”

Gandhi said the government must reconsider its priority for vaccine candidates by reducing the immunisation eligibility age to 25 and also to those young people with at-risk health disorders like asthma, angina, diabetes, kidney and liver diseases.

She said that in the course of her talks with chief ministers, the question of GST came up.

“They felt that as a preliminary measure, all equipment, instruments, medicines and support required to prevent and treat Covid should be made free from GST. It is a matter of grave concern that lifesaving drugs like remdesivir and medical oxygen as also other basic supplements are subjected to GST at 12 per cent. Even basic equipment like oxymeters and life-saving critical equipment like ventilators are subjected to 20 per cent GST. In the current state of affairs, this is inhuman and untenable,” the Congress chief said.

Noting that partial curfews, travel restrictions, closures and lockdowns would again restrict economic activity that would hit the already beleaguered people, especially the poor and the daily wagers, Gandhi said, “It is imperative to provide monthly income support and transfer an amount of Rs 6,000 into every eligible citizen’s account.”