Uttarakhand govt asks Centre for 20,000 additional Covid vaccines for Kumbh Mela

The state Covid-19 Control Room chief Dr Abhishek Tripathi informed that the state government has sent a proposal to the Centre in this regard.

Amid the on-going first phase of the mass vaccination-drive for Covid-19, the Uttarakhand Government has asked the Centre for 20,000 additional vaccines for the occasion of Kumbh Mela.

At least 7.49 crore devotees have taken the dip in the waters of Sangam in Prayagraj till Sunday since the beginning of the 49-day Kumbh Mela from January 15, the Uttar Pradesh government has said. A report said that on the first day of the Kumbh Mela, which began with the first of the three Shahi Snans of Makar Sankranti, 2.25 crore people bathed in the Sangam. (Sheeraz Rizvi / HT File)

The state Covid-19 Control Room chief Dr Abhishek Tripathi informed that the state government has sent a proposal to the Centre in this regard.

The Covid-19 vaccination drive was initiated on Saturday in the state with the healthcare workers getting their first shots at the Doon Hospital in the presence of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.

The state received its first batch of 1,13,000 doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India (SII) on January 13 and additional 92,500 doses of Covishield vaccine were received yesterday.

The Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar had begun on Makar Sankranti on January 14 after twelve years and will continue till April. It will be held for 48 days instead of the usual three-and-half-months.