HYDERABAD: Two days after Telangana sought 30 lakh Covid-19 vaccines to meet the requirement for next two weeks, the Centre has allotted 3.62 lakh vaccines, which is just over 10% of the state’s request.
Going by the vaccination programme in the state, the stocks would last for next three to four days. A health department’s bulletin on Monday said over 97,000 vaccines were given, including 95,000 first doses and another 2,200 second doses. “The Centre is arranging about 2 lakh doses of Covaxin locally and another 1.62 lakh doses Covishield from Pune, which arrived late on Monday night,” chief secretary Somesh Kumar told TOI.
Admitting that the stock of three lakh doses is much less when compared to what the state needs, the chief secretary said the Centre would be sending more doses on a regular basis. In his letter to the Centre on April 10, the Somesh Kumar had said the state was left with only 5.66 lakh doses of vaccine which would last three days only.
Official sources said the demand for vaccine shots has increased after the government asked all heads of departments of panchayat raj, municipal administration, police, revenue and health to vaccinate all the staff in their respective areas. This demand is in addition to the regular vaccine drive.
Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has asked collectors and HoDs to personally monitor the drive and complete the exercise by April 15. Following the directions of the CM, GHMC commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar said they would not allow the staff inside the offices if they did not get vaccine shot before April 15.
Meanwhile, the health department has directed private hospitals to provide additional beds for Covid-19 treatment. Hospitals and nursing homes with more than 20 beds are advised to upscale their bed availability. A total of 50,000 beds will be allocated for treatment over the next two weeks, said health authorities on Monday.