COVID-19 vaccines should be provided free of cost as any public health emergency requires public finance support, a prominent public healthcare expert advocated on Sunday.

Public Health Foundation of India chief Professor K Srinath Reddy said, “Vaccination should be free... Virtually, all economists in the world agree on it. So, there is no question of any country charging for public health emergency... [asking] people to buy (vaccines),” he said. He said that if somebody wants to have the comfort of going to a private hospital of their choice and getting vaccinated, then they can pay service charge there but vaccination itself should be free.