Odisha Receives 2.5 Lakh Doses Of Covishield, But Vaccine Crisis Persists

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government received 2.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine on Saturday.

The vaccines from Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here on an Air India flight.

Director (Health and Family Welfare) Bijay Panigrahi told the media that the vaccines will be dispatched on Saturday afternoon to the district centres where the vaccination will begin from Sunday.

Panigrahi, however, added that with this additional consignment of Covishield and the present stock of the vaccines, the vaccination in Odisha can be done for two days. “We will have to wait for the next consignment of vaccines from the Centre. If the vaccines do not arrive by Monday, we will be forced to close session sites,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Pradipta Mohapatra, who are currently on a tour of Kalahandi and Nuapada districts, told the media that the Centre has assured the state government of sending the vaccines in phases.

Also Read: Odisha To Receive 2.5 Lakh Doses Of COVID Vaccine Today; Drive To Be Hampered For 2 Days!