Bhubaneswar: Ahead of Odisha government’s vaccination drive against COVID from January 19, fresh stock of Covishield vaccines reached the state on Tuesday.
According to sources in Health department, 1 lakh doses of Covishield have been received by the government under the national COVID-19 vaccination programme of the Centre. The vaccines will be despatched to all districts as per requirement before the beginning of vaccination drive, they said.
Meanwhile, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, Director, Health Services appealed to the people, particularly those who have not taken booster dose, to avail the vaccination drive. The vaccines, supplied by the Centre, had been exhausted in the state by November 28.
“Covishield vaccines are reaching Odisha today. I would request the people, who are yet to receive the second or booster dose, to get vaccinated during the vaccination drive beginning from January 19,” he said while speaking to media persons in Bhubaneswar.
On Monday, the Health Department tweeted, “Beneficiaries have been advised to take 2nd as well as precautionary doses if due at select district headquarters and sub-divisional hospitals, community and primary healthcare centres.”
It may be noted that total 8.14 crore doses of vaccines have been administered in the state. Of these, 3.52 crore (97%) doses have been administered as the first dose, 3.30 crore (91%) as the second dose to beneficiaries aged 12 years and above and 1.31 crore (41%) doses as precautionary doses to citizens aged 18 years and above.
