Vaccine shortage: 40 centres to remain shut in Mumbai on April 29

Mumbai's BKC vaccination centre ran out of its stock on Wednesday itself.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Wednesday announced 40 private vaccination centres will remain shut as they have run out of their vaccine stocks. Another 33 private vaccination centres will also be limited to administering second doses as they have limited stock. Announcing that a fresh stock of Covishiedl will be received at night, the civic body said that all government and municipal vaccination centres will be functional after 12 noon on Thursday.

The BKC Jumbo Covid-19 Vaccination Centre was closed due to a shortage of vaccines in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The municipal body also provided a list of centres that will remain closed on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Bandra Kurla Complex jumbo Covid-19 vaccination centre ran out of vaccine stock and became inactive. "It will open for vaccination as soon as the stock is replenished," Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

Countering the Maharashtra government's claims, the Union health ministry on Wednesday said the state still has over five lakh vaccine doses with it and another five lakh doses will be delivered to the state in the next three days.

"It is clarified that the total Covid vaccine doses received by Maharashtra as of April 28, 2021, (at 8 am) are 1,58,62,470. Of this, the total consumption including wastage (0.22 per cent) was 1,53,56,151. Balance of 5,06,319 vaccine doses is still available with the state for administration to the eligible population groups," the ministry said.

Though registration for the 3rd phase of vaccination began on April 28, slots for people in the age group between 18 and 44 years could not be booked as state government hospitals and private hospitals are yet to add their capacity to cowin.gov.in.