PUNE: For the next phase of Covid-19 inoculations, prioritise vaccine supply for states and districts that are currently registering a spike in active cases, state officials have requested the Centre.
The third phase, which includes those above 60 years of age and those above 45 with comorbidities, is set to start on March 1. In Maharashtra, there are an estimated one crore people who fall in these two groups. The state also has districts that are recording spikes, including Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Amravati and Nagpur.
Officials said priority distribution will help them organise mega vaccination drives to quickly cover large numbers of at-risk people. Currently, Maharashtra has been allocated a supply that will last till March 15, meant to cover healthcare and frontline workers. It will need more doses to launch a fast phase 3, officials said.
Dr Subhash Salunke, advisor to the state government on Covid-19, said that he has requested the Centre to prioritise states and districts with high caseload so that vaccination drives can be completed within three to four months.
“The decision to start vaccinating those who are over 60 and above 45 with comorbidities from March 1, is a welcome move. But the government should ensure vaccine allocation is made according to caseload data. It is the Centre that decides the allocation as per population that needs to be vaccinated. And that data has been drawn from electoral rolls. However, states and districts with high caseload should speed up vaccination to reach higher immunity levels,” said Dr Salunke.
The state currently has over 800 vaccination sites. Officials said an additional 1,000 private hospitals have been roped in to increase this number. Mega vaccination drives, officials said, will help to protect entire communities. “Vaccination is not just for individual protection. Communities have to be protected and for that, we need fast-paced vaccine drives,” Dr Salunke said. He added that the Centre should also ensure glitches in the Co-WIN app — that slowed down vaccinations among healthcare and frontline workers — are ironed out.