Telangana suspends today’s vaccine drive due to shortage

HYDERABAD: Shortage of vaccines has forced Telangana to suspend its vaccination drive in government centres for a day after it began on January 16. The Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao issued a statement on Saturday that on April 18, 2021, no Covid vaccinations would take place in Government Covid Vaccination Centres (GCVCs) across the State.

Rao, however, stated that the vaccination drive would be continued from April 19 onwards, as per the schedule. The Director confirmed to Express that the decision was taken due to a shortage of vaccines. The State was left with just 2 lakh doses of vaccines for the day and the next day, Rao said at a press meet earlier in the day. It is learnt that the same was nearly exhausted on Saturday itself as the Cowin dashboard showed nearly 1.40 lakh doses being administered. 

The State had been anticipating a consignment of 2.7 lakh doses on Saturday morning. However, it appears that this consignment from the Central government was delayed. Meanwhile, the impact on vaccinations in private hospitals is likely to be negligible as since the past one week, the State has sent very few doses to private hospitals and largely focused on vaccinating frontline workers in government hospitals.

The State was left with just 2 lakh doses on Saturday to conduct vaccinations for the day as well as for the next day. The same was largely exhausted on Saturday itself as the Cowin dashboard showed nearly 1.40 lakh doses being administered

Don’t worry about second dose: Officials

KARIMNAGAR:  There has been some confusion among people in the district as many who received the first dose of vaccine around six weeks ago have been running from pillar to post from the last two days to get the second dose. Vaccination centres have been advising people to wait for one more week to get the second dose as centres, which were administering Covishield earlier are now giving Covaxin. However, officials said there was nothing to worry as the second dose could be taken even after eight weeks of the first dose.