Will run out of Covid vaccine doses by Sunday: Rajasthan official

Several states on Thursday warned they would run out of coronavirus vaccines in the next few days and were being forced to shut inoculation centres

Rajasthan may be unable to conduct the Covid-19 vaccination drive from Sunday as the state’s stock of doses will last for just two days, a top health department official said on Friday.

Representational image. (AFP)

“We are left with 9.7 lakh vaccine doses. [Most districts]...will have no stock from Saturday evening. The state on average is daily vaccinating around 4.5-5.5 lakh people,” the official said, requesting anonymity. He added even some districts were likely to exhaust their stocks on Friday.

The official said the state is hoping to get new stock from the Centre, but it has no assurances yet.

“A letter was written to GoI [the government of India] three days back asking for smooth and regular supply of vaccines...”

In March, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said they were getting an inadequate supply of vaccines.

To be sure, while overall supplies may be there at the state level, individual centres may run out of stock on account of how the states manage their replenishment.

Several states on Thursday warned they would run out of coronavirus vaccines in the next few days and were being forced to shut inoculation centres.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan reiterated there was no shortage, and the country has over 43 million doses in stock or in the pipeline. He called for “an end to fear-mongering”.