COVID-19: Vaccination wait may extend to mid-May in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha government has placed orders for procurement of Covid vaccines for its population aged between 18 and 44 years, the Phase III vaccination programme is unlikely to be rolled out across the State on May 1 as scheduled by the Centre.

The State may not get the vaccines from manufacturers before May 15. Odisha has ordered 3.77 crore doses of Covishield at Rs 400 per dose and 10.34 lakh doses of Covaxin at Rs 600 per dose for 1.93 crore people in the age group of 18 to 44 years and requested the manufacturers to supply the stock at the earliest.

Since all stock of Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech till May 15 has been booked by the Centre for vaccination of people, aged 45 and above, it is unlikely that the manufacturers will be able to produce additional stock to meet the demands of all states.

Sources said the manufacturers have sought month-wise requirement of vaccine doses for next four months along with the strategy of first four weeks of May from the State government.

Though they have been requested to start supply from the first week itself, the manufacturers are learnt to have conveyed that the vaccines can be supplied only after May 15.  

However, as advised by the Centre, the Health department has begun preparing for online registration of beneficiaries from April 28 for the third phase of the inoculation drive. 

The beneficiaries can register themselves on CoWin portal and book a slot at the vaccination centre of their choice.

“Since the vaccination depends on the availability of stock, the beneficiaries will be intimated regarding their date of inoculation through SMS. It will help avoid unnecessary rush at session sites,” Director of Family Welfare and vaccination nodal officer Dr Bijay Kumar Panigrahi said. 

All collectors, municipal commissioners and CDMOs have been directed to ensure timely administration of the second dose of Covid vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers and the vulnerable section of the population in order to reduce hospitalisation as well as mortality in case they get infected.

As per analysis of vaccination status on CoWIN portal, nearly 86,562 beneficiaries of Covishield and 26,430 of Covaxin are due for the second dose after an interval of six weeks and four weeks of the first dose respectively. 

Meanwhile, 88,770 beneficiaries were administered vaccines at 595 centres on Monday. So far 56.39 lakh doses of vaccines have been administered in the State, which has a stock of 1.23 lakh Covishield doses and 3.65 lakh Covaxin doses for people aged above 45 years.