Plan for walk-in jabs for 18-45 group in the works: Delhi government

On Saturday, 85,907 people were vaccinated in Delhi, out of which 52,060 were from the 18-45 year age category.

The Delhi government on Sunday said that it is preparing a plan for incorporating walk-in registrations for people in the 18-45 age group in the Capital.

For the 18-45 age group, 268,000 vaccine doses are available, which translates to a day’s stock of Covaxin and 13 days stock of Covishield.

“We have received communication from the government of India only this (Sunday) evening about walk-in vaccination for the 18+ category. Further plans for the same will now be made. We will inform the public as soon as the plan is chalked out,” said a statement released by the Delhi government.

Delhi has vaccinated at least 6.5 million people so far, of which around 4.9 million have received the first dose and nearly 1.6 million received both doses, said Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi.

“Currently, the vaccination speed in Delhi has increased tremendously due to the availability of vaccine stocks. We have administered 6,514,825 doses, out of which 4,938,050 were first doses while 1,576,775 people have received both the doses in Delhi as of June 20,” said Atishi, while releasing the Delhi’s daily Covid bulletin on vaccination.

On Saturday, 85,907 people were vaccinated in Delhi, out of which 52,060 were from the 18-45 year age category. She said currently, for the 18-45 age group, 268,000 vaccine doses are available, which translates to a day’s stock of Covaxin and 13 days stock of Covishield.

For those aged 45 years and above, 820,000 vaccine doses -- five days of Covaxin and 57 days’ stock of Covishield -- are available in Delhi.

“Whenever vaccine supply is available with us, the speed of vaccination increases in Delhi. All the people who haven’t got vaccinated till now should also step up and get themselves vaccinated. Getting oneself jabbed is the most important step to save Delhi from the next possible Covid-19 wave,” she said.

Delay in rollout of Sputnik V

Meanwhile, the roll out of Russian Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, at Indraprastha Apollo and Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Delhi has been delayed for some days, officials said on Sunday.

A spokesperson of Apollo Hospitals said the facility in Delhi will tentatively start administering the two-dose vaccine by June 25. The facilities were supposed to begin administering Sputnik V vaccines from June 20.

An official from Madhukar Rainbow Children’s Hospital attributed the delay to the suppliers.

“We are expecting (roll out) next week,” he said.

Fortis Healthcare, which had said it would make Sputnik V available at its Gurgaon and Mohali hospitals from Saturday, also has not started administering the Russian vaccine so far.

“The roll out did not happen on Saturday. We expect there will be some clarity on Monday,” an official said.

The Centre has fixed the price of the vaccine at ₹1,145 per dose.

The maximum price of Covishield has been fixed at ₹780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is ₹1,410 per dose.