23 states to provide free COVID-19 vaccine from May 1; full list here

At least 23 Indian states have announced that they will vaccinate their population free of cost. While some states have made the vaccine free for all, others have clarified it will be free for people between the age of 18-45 only. However, the central government's drive for free vaccinations for those above 45 will continue.

This comes at a time when India is struggling with an unprecedented number of fresh cases and deaths on a daily basis.

Here's the list of states providing free COVID-19 vaccine:

Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Bengal, Assam, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka

The states will procure vaccines from two major manufacturers. Serum Institute of India has said that it will supply its Covid-19 vaccine 'Covishield' to state governments at a price of Rs 400 per dose. The Covaxin-manufacturer Bharat Biotech will sell each dose to state governments at a price of Rs 600.

Meanwile, India on Monday reported 3.53 lakh new coronavirus infections, a record high for the sixth consecutive day. The nationwide tally has now climbed to 1.73 crores, with a record test positivity rate of 25.1%, even as several states face a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. India also marked its deadliest day with over 2,800 fatalities.