E-Paper
Covid-19 vaccine: Over 1 million receive second jab as Delhi stares at shortage
Over a million people in the national capital have been completely vaccinated against Covid-19 as on Friday, even as most inoculation centres remained shut on the day on account of Eid-Ul-Fitr
Over a million people in the national capital have been completely vaccinated against Covid-19 as on Friday, even as most inoculation centres remained shut on the day on account of Eid-Ul-Fitr.
Government data shows that so far, Delhi has administered 4.37 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines. Of these, over one million were second doses, which means the recipients have completed their two-jab regimen of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, the city continued to run its inoculation programme for the 18-44 age group with only Covishield doses, with stocks of Covaxin running out on Thursday.
As on Friday, the Delhi government had 346,000 doses of vaccine left, all of them Covishield jabs.
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“Covaxin stock for the 18-44 years beneficiary group is over and the Covishield stock for this group should last another eight days. This has led to temporary suspension of around 140 vaccine centres. We have urged the central government to intervene in this regard and ensure that Delhi gets supply of Covaxin at the earliest. A large number of beneficiaries also have their second doses scheduled now. They have to be vaccinated,” said AAP legislator Atishi while reading out the Delhi government’s vaccine bulletin on Friday.
The Capital will need a total of 30 million doses to inoculate its 15 million adult population, according to state government estimates.
Delhi is also staring at a shortage of vaccines for those aged 45 and above.
“We have a stock of 225,110 doses for this age group. The Covaxin stock should last for three days, while Covishield will last two. More doses are expected to arrive soon for this category, especially Covishield,” said Atishi on Friday’s vaccine bulletin.
There was no clarity on when the Covishield doses are likely to arrive.
Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said India should float tenders for vaccines in the global market as one nation, instead of asking states to go for it in individual capacity, reiterating a request made by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal a day earlier.
“India is one nation, and one tender policy should be implemented, rather than a state-wise tender which will only create more confusion and heat between states which are going to procure vaccines. A state-wise tender will also put India in a bad light. Like there is one Indian embassy in each country, there should be one tender for the procurement of vaccines from this international market,” said Jain in a separate press briefing.
He further said, “Nonetheless, I believe that India has the most renowned vaccine manufacturers in the world. I am aware of at least 30 prominent companies who have the capacity to prepare them if they are given the required formula from the makers of Covishield and Covaxin. The centre itself is an owner of Covaxin, and may submit the formula to other companies so that they are equipped to make the vaccines by themselves. At the same time, the centre has exported nearly 6.5 Cr vaccines to various countries. Now, they are asking us to purchase them from these international markets, which is quite strange and uncanny.”
