Odisha Health Minister Seeks Supply Of COVID Vaccines From Centre For Precaution Dose

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has written to the Centre for fresh stock of COVID vaccines to recommence vaccination of precaution dose to the left out people in the state.

In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Naba Kishore Das has drawn attention to the outbreak of new variant BF-7 of COVID-19 in countries like China, Japan, USA, Brazil, Republic of Korea with India reporting some cases.

The minister said till date, 8.14 crore doses have been given as first dose and 3.30 crore as second dose to the people aged 12 years & above and 1.31 crore doses to the citizens aged 18 years and above as precaution dose in the state. Hence, the precaution dose has covered only 41% of the population.

“Presently, no vaccine stock is available in the state. Keeping in view the demands from various categories of citizens, there is further requirement of precaution dose to cater to left out 1.93 crore of 3.25 crore
population,” Das said.

The minister sought supply of additional quantity of precaution dose to the state for vaccination of the left out people to be administered in government’s COVID Vaccination Centres.