Odisha Has Covishield Stock For Only 2-3 Days: Top Health Official

Bhubaneswar: Dr Bijay Panigrahi, Odisha’s Nodal Officer for Immunisation, on Monday informed that the stock of Covishield vaccines in the state will last only two-three days.

“Odisha has a stock of only 2.21 lakh Covishield doses. Except Bhubaneswar, all districts were supplied with Covishield for vaccination. So we need more Covishield vaccines to administer the booster dose to people,” he told mediapersons.

Dr Panigrahi said that in comparison, over 7 lakh Covaxin doses were available in the state.

“We have written to the Centre to supply sufficient Covishield and Covaxin doses for smooth conduct of the inoculation drive,” he said.

All citizens in the age group of 18-59 years are being administered free precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines at government vaccination centres in Odisha for 75 days from July 15.

Free booster doses are being administered at 2,500 vaccination centres across the state.

The drive is part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav announced by the Centre to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.