Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) decision to put on hold the vaccination drive on Friday due to shortage of doses left many beneficiaries who were allotted the slot disappointed.
Of the 87 vaccination centres in PCMC, 59 are run by the administration and 28 by private hospitals. The centres run by the civic body have inoculated 180,092 and private hospitals have given the jab to 50,777 residents.
Since the order came after 9.30 pm on Thursday, most of the citizens were unaware and visited the centres to get the jab.
“I was told to come today by 10 am with the token given yesterday (Thursday) and I came early. I was the first person from our family to get a vaccine. Now when will the vaccine be available? Should I come tomorrow?” said 53-year-old Dadasaheb Raut from Anant Park after reading the notice at a PCMC-run school in Thergaon that is a vaccination centre.
Jyotsna Shinde, another beneficiary who visited the Thergaon vaccination centre, said that she had taken two hours leave from office to get the jab and now will again have to do so to get the vaccine.
{{/usCountry}}Jyotsna Shinde, another beneficiary who visited the Thergaon vaccination centre, said that she had taken two hours leave from office to get the jab and now will again have to do so to get the vaccine.
{{/usCountry}}“Yesterday (Thursday), there was rush and the doctor told me to come today. I have been taking short leave from my office since the last two days,” said Shinde, a resident of 16 number locality, Thergaon.
Dr Kedar Kulkarni of Talera Hospital, Chinchwad, which is one of the vaccination centres, said, “There is no stock of Covishield or Covaxin available for second dose as well. We will only resume the vaccination drive when we get the stock and the orders to do so.”
The authorities present at various centres were also clueless about when the drive will restart.
“Once the stock arrives, whether it will be distributed to all centres or a few? These are the questions that need to be answered,” said a staff member of vaccine centre Premlok Park, Chinchwad on the request on anonymity.
Vax drive to resume today
The vaccination drive which was put on hold on Friday will be starting again from Saturday as 20,000 doses of Covishield are available with PCMC administration.
“Vaccination drive at all the centres will be available from Saturday. We have got 20,000 doses of Covishield,” said Pavan Salve, additional health and medical officer.