Residents scramble to get jab as stocks dry up in Ludhiana

Around 430 people were inoculated across the district before the counters were closed. While vaccination counters across the city wore a deserted look, the area for RT-PCR testing was bustling

Even as the second wave of coronavirus infections sweeps the district, people hoping to get the jab on Tuesday returned dejected as the vaccine stocks ran dry in the district yet again.

Around 430 people were inoculated across Ludhiana district before the counters were closed. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Merely 430 people were inoculated across the district against a target of 18,000 a day and average of 12,000-13,000 jabs. While vaccination counters across the city wore a deserted look, the area for reverse- transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing was bustling as cases continue to rise in the district.

Some residents, who could not get the jab, lost their cool, saying that at a time when virus cases were peaking, the district did not have enough vaccines.

Vinjay Jain of Civil Lines, who was seen standing in queue to get inoculated with his wife, daughter and son who is suffering from Down’s syndrome, said “I was here to get the second jab for myself and first jab for my children. However, I was told that the drive to inoculate those in the 18-44 age bracket had not begun yet. I was told to come in a couple of days but it is not possible for us to visit the centre repeatedly.”

“With the virus cases surging, visiting the centre to get the jab is risky in itself,” says Rohit Chabbra of Haibowal. “Several people who wanted to get their RT-PCR test done had converged at the entrance of the centre. I had to make my way through potential Covid patients to reach the vaccination counter, only to be told that the vaccination drive had to be deferred,” said Rohit.

One Sanjeev Sharma, who visited the dispensary in Sunet only to find the vaccine out of stock, said he was told that Covaxin will only be given to those here for the second jab and Covishield was out of stock. Residents said Covishield was unavailable in Dugri as well.

District immunisation officer Dr Puneet Juneja said, “We can understand residents’ frustration and it is encouraging that people are coming forward to get themselves vaccinated. However, unfortunately, our stocks have dried up. Hopefully, we will get a batch of stock Covishield on Wednesday, but only those above the age of 45 will be vaccinated.”

Health officials said 28,000 vaccines of Covishield are expected to arrive on Wednesday.

On May 3, the health department had said that until the vaccine stock was not replenished, vaccines will not be provided to private players.