Senior citizens and those with comorbidities against COVID-19 in Karnataka will be vaccinated at all taluk and district level hospitals and two identified private hospitals in each district from March 1, the state government said on 28 February.

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People aged 60 years and above and those between 45-59 years suffering from specific comorbidities, supported by a certificate by a registered medical practitioner, will be vaccinated. "In the initial phase, all taluk level hospitals, district level hospital and two identified private hospitals from each district and major hospitals of Bengaluru and 18 private health facilities from BBMP will implement COVID-19 vaccination from March 1, "a state health department note said.

In the initial days, vaccination will be only for online registered beneficiaries in urban and private facilities and both on-site and online in rural areas. Moving forward, the vaccination for other modes of registration will be scaled up the number of facilities increased. The vaccination would be held four days a week -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday in government facilities and all working days in private hospitals.

The exercise, to be held between 12 pm to 5 pm, would later be modified, it said. The number would be limited to 200 per day per session site and would be on a first come first serve basis. However, online registered beneficiaries would be allotted a specific time in a day. The vaccination will be free of charge at the government Vaccination centres, while those taking the shot at any designated/empaneled private health facility have to pay Rs 250 each for a dose, which includes Rs 100 service charge and Rs 150 which would be deposited to Government of India specified account, it added.

The nationwide COVID-19 Vaccination drive was launched on January 16 and has been limited to health care workers and front line COVID warriors. The beneficiaries will be able to self-register in advance by downloading the COWin 2.0 portal and through other IT Applications such as Arogya Setu. Facility of on site registration allows those who cannot self-register in advance to walk into the identified COVID vaccination centres and get themselves registered on-site and then vaccinated. Healthcare workers and frontline staff who have missed the shots or been left out of the current vaccination drive can also select vaccination centres of their choice, the release said.