Vax shortage: Jab drive for 18+ won’t start in Tamil Nadu today

CHENNAI: The next phase of vaccination for all adults above 18 years of age will not start on Saturday in Tamil Nadu as the state does not have adequate vaccines. The existing programme of vaccinating citizens above 45 will, however, continue across the state.
“We will start vaccinations only after we get more information about the number of vaccines allotted to us by the Centre and a delivery schedule from vaccine manufacturers,” said state health secretary J Radhakrishnan. The state has authorised Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation to buy 1.5 crore doses, but SII and Bharat Biotech, the manufacturers of Covishield and Covaxin, have not responded with an offer letter or delivery schedule yet. Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner G Prakash, too, said the city will not start the drive on May 1.
The immunisation wing of the directorate of public health on Friday morning said the state had 6.69 lakh doses of vaccine — 5.20 lakh doses of Covishield and 1.49 lakh doses of Covaxin. The registry also showed there were 31.80 lakh people waiting for their second dose. So far, 12.94 lakh people in Tamil Nadu have received both doses of vaccine.
‘Covaxin kept for people who need second dose’
Joint director immunisation Dr K Vinay Kumar said, “We are asking people to take the second dose of the vaccine when it is time. In most centres, Covaxin is reserved only for people who need it for the second dose. Many people in this group have higher risk either because they had comorbidities or because of age.”
Some private hospitals, including Apollo Hospitals Group, however, announced that they would begin vaccinating individuals between the ages of 18 to 44 years. Apollo said it “has taken the initiative and arrangements to procure the vaccines directly from the manufacturers as per government directive”.