Chandigarh to get 2.9 lakh vaccine doses in September

In August, the Centre had sent 2.8 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine to the Chandigarh health department, against the allocated 1.7 lakh doses; officials believe that the vaccine will be effectively used this month as the health department is expecting a rush of people looking to get their second dose

Even though the UT health department has already achieved 100% first dose coverage, the central government has allocated 2,95,810 vaccine doses to Chandigarh for the month of September.

So far, the Chandigarh health department has administered 11, 63, 844 doses of vaccine to beneficiaries, including the first and second dose. (HT FILE)

The stock will be supplied to the government sector for free inoculation. Officials believe that the vaccine will be effectively used this month as the health department is expecting a rush of people looking to get their second dose.

In June, as many as 89,140 doses were supplied to Chandigarh, against the allocation of 61,940. In July, 1,50,110 doses were allocated but the health department received 2,19,160 doses. Similarly in August, 27,91,60 doses were received against the allocated 16,91,60 doses.

So far, the UT health department has administered 11, 63, 844 doses to beneficiaries, including the first and second dose.

According to the latest electoral list, around 7,29,822 people in Chandigarh are above the age of 18 and are eligible to get vaccinated. As on Monday, 8,31,313 (114%), including migrants, had taken their first shot while 3,32,531 (46%) were fully vaccinated. In the last seven days, around 8,000 people a day were vaccinated in the city.

After the UT health department announced on August 14 that 100% of its eligible population has been inoculated with the first dose, at least one lakh more beneficiaries have been jabbed with the first dose at the city’s vaccination sites.

“There is no shortage of vaccines in Chandigarh and people are welcome to walk in to the centres to get their shots, without prior registration. People from neighbouring states, especially from Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, continue to throng Chandigarh government vaccination centres. Most people getting the first dose, these days, are residents of other states,” said Dr Amandeep Kang, director health services, Chandigarh.

Dr Kang added that the UT health department has already received the first batch of 98,640 vaccine doses for September. “We keep monitoring the vaccination stock and when we are left with the supply for only a day or two, we send a letter to the central government asking for more doses. Since people from other states also prefer taking the vaccine in Chandigarh, we are vaccinating more people than expected. We are still organising special evening camps and intensifying door-to-door vaccination drives, to inoculate the people who are still left out,” Dr Kang further added.