Odisha: Limited Covaxin stock slows down vaccination in city

BHUBANESWAR: The limited stock of Covaxin in the capital city, the lone place where the vaccination is going on now, has slowed down the inoculation of people in the 18 to 44 age group. On Tuesday, around 6,000 such people took the jab.
On Tuesday, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) opened limited sites to cater to the 45-plus age group and those waiting to receive the second dose. “We are managing with 1.5 lakh vaccine doses. In two days, we exhausted 14,000 doses for the 18 plus. Simultaneously, the vaccination of others is going on. We have planned to inoculate close to 20, 000 people every day,” said BMC commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhury.
He said when more vaccine consignment arrives, the BMC will increase the sites and there won’t be any rush. “People in the 18-plus category won’t get the dose without online registration. So, there is no point crowding the place and compromising Covid norms,” Chaudhury said.
Sources said while the BMC has a target of inoculating more than 5 lakh people, daily around 6,000 are being vaccinated. If this pace continues, it will take more than 100 days for the two doses. Private hospitals are yet to start vaccination of people in the 18 to 44 years age group as they are waiting for vaccine supply. Vaccination of 18 plus in other parts of the state is yet to start.
Sources said with vaccination going dry, many (age group other than 18 to 44) from the districts are coming to the city to get a jab. This is also leading to rush and shortage.
The capital on Tuesday reported 1,116 new infections, highest single day spike so far, against 655 new recoveries. The active cases inch close to 9,000. The total count has jumped to 48,256 and deaths have touched 272.