Covid-19 vaccine shortage temporary problem, says CoWIN head RS Sharma

Sharma, who is also the chairperson of the empowered committee on Covid-19 vaccination, said the problem with vaccination is occurring specifically for people belonging to that particular age group.

The head of the CoWIN platform RS Sharma said on Friday the vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) for people between age 18-45 years will pick up the pace soon and that the shortage of doses is a temporary problem.

RS Sharma said the Covid-19 vaccine drive in India is transparent and inclusive. He claimed that the vaccination shortages are temporary, (PTI Photo)

Sharma, who is also the chairperson of the empowered committee on Covid-19 vaccination, said the problem with vaccination is occurring specifically for people belonging to that particular age group. “The system is inclusive. The fact that more than half of the population who are aged above 45 years are walk-in registrations who have gotten vaccinated. This is a temporary problem,” Sharma was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Delhi, Jharkhand and Punjab have said in the last two days that they had to stop their vaccination drives due to a shortage of doses. Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said that the state was facing an acute shortage of vaccines with doses for the 18-44 age group almost over. Delhi MLA Atishi said the Capital had to suspend the vaccination drive for the fourth day in a row for people aged between 18-45 years. Punjab expanded its vaccination priority list to include citizens employed in the hospitality sector, shopkeepers and their staff, industrial workers, street vendors, delivery boys, bus and cab drivers, conductors and members of local bodies as chief minister Amarinder Singh highlighted the state’s acute shortage of vaccines.