Maharashtra to resume vaccination drive for 18+ from Tuesday

Even as the Covid-19 vaccination drive opened for all above 18 years across the country from Monday, it will resume from Tuesday in Maharashtra

Even as the Covid-19 vaccination drive opened for all above 18 years across the country from Monday, it will resume from Tuesday in Maharashtra . The state health minister Rajesh Tope said they are approving vaccinations for all adults in order to speed up the drive in the state. He also urged the state’s youth to get vaccinated at the earliest.

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From June 19, the state government extended the free vaccination drive by covering the 30-45 age group. It had decided not to start the drive for the 18-30 age group, owing to the shortage of vaccine doses.

“Today [Monday], the state health department has taken an important decision. Till Monday, only those who are 30 years and above were allowed to get inoculated in Maharashtra, but to give a boost to the vaccination drive we have approved vaccination for all adults,” the health minister said.

“I want to urge the youths of Maharashtra to go to the nearest centre and get vaccinated as they are allowed to take it,” he added.

Currently, the state has a stock of around 1,500,000 doses.

Earlier, officials said that they have decided to resume the vaccination drive for the 18-45 age group in two phases to overcome the shortage issues.

“We decided to resume the vaccination drive for the 18-45 age group, but in two phases. In the first phase, we have started inoculating beneficiaries who are 30 years and above, and later, we will start covering all those above 18 years in the second phase. It will begin only after the state government will start getting sufficient stock of doses from the Centre,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

On Sunday, Tope told HT that inadequate stock of doses is likely to create a mess if all above 18 years are allowed to get vaccinated in the state, considering which they had put it on hold. “We have decided not to start the drive for all above 18 years as we are not getting adequate stock to cover all adults. It is likely to create a mess if we go ahead without having sufficient stock. Hence, the state will continue to cover all the beneficiaries that are of 30 years and above. The decision for 18 years and above will be taken later.” Tope had said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the state covered 378,945 vaccine beneficiaries. The last time it had crossed 300,000 beneficiaries was on June 5.

The state government had started its drive for beneficiaries in the 18-45 age group on May 1 after it was allowed by the Centre.

However, it was suspended on May 12, owing to the unavailability of vaccine doses.