Bhubaneswar: Vaccine shortage in Odisha has put a question mark on the inoculation of people aged between 18-44 years against COVID-19 in the Odisha capital. It is most likely to be halted from June 2.
The Health Department sources said the shortage has adversely affected the drive and stock for the below 45-year age group in the city will be exhausted by Tuesday. “We may open limited slots for tomorrow depending on availability of vaccines. Thereafter, we will have to wait for vaccines to resume the drive for this age group,” said Additional Public District Health Officer Antaryami Mishra.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Sanjay Singh told Odisha Bytes that the picture will become clear by evening.
According to BMC sources, there are 8,980 doses of Covaxin for this age group.
It is yet to open slots for the second dose. The drive had begun on May 1 and the gap between two doses is 4 weeks.
The city has 5.17 lakh beneficiaries in this age group for whom 10.34 lakh doses of Covaxin are required.
On Friday, the state government had urged the Centre to allow surplus Covaxin vaccine in stock for 45 and above age group to be diverted to the 18-44 year group in the city on a temporary loan basis.
“Bhubaneswar will still have a stock of 3,45,550 surplus doses from the Central quota in June which can be diverted for vaccination of 18 plus,” Health Minister Naba Das had written in a letter to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan.
Though the state has been allocated 1,65,940 doses of Covaxin under its own procurement, the stock will be completely utilised by month-end, he added.
Notably, the Union government is expected to send 3,05,460 doses of Covishield and 40,000 doses of Covaxin for beneficiaries above 45 years. These consignments will reach Odisha on June 3 and June 6 respectively.
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