Bhubaneswar: Odisha, which has vaccinated over 9.68 lakh people so far, received the third consignment of COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday.
As informed by the Health and Family Welfare Department, 9,04,180 doses of Covishield vaccine arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in the afternoon in a special cargo flight from Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).
The vaccines kept at the State Vaccine Centre will be dispatched to the districts from Wednesday.
With the arrival of additional doses of the vaccine and assurance from the Centre of its stead supply, the Odisha government has decided to step up vaccination of the elderly to 1 lakh a day in the next few days. This was informed by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Pradipta Kumar.
ASHAs and Anganwadi workers would ensure registration and vaccination of people above 60 years in rural areas, a top health administration official said.
Meanwhile, 2,25,365 senior citizens and 10,807 persons over 45 years with co-morbidities had received the vaccine shots till Tuesday.
Odisha has around 45 lakh people above 60 years of age and the government aims to complete the first dose by April end.
A total of 9,68,766 health workers, frontline warriors and senior citizens have been vaccinated in the state since January 16.
