Hyderabad: The Telangana government is likely to start COVID-19 vaccinations for people older than 18 from June, depending on their availability, read reports.
The increase in demand, production challenges and commitments puts the vaccine manufacturers in Hyderabad and Pune (Covaxin and Covishield respectively) in a difficult place. The third phase of vaccinations for anyone over the age of 18 would begin on May 1 across the country.
“The vaccine manufacturers have informed us that the status of vaccine production will improve by June or July. By that time, more Covid vaccines manufactured by other companies, including single-dose vaccines from Johnson and Johnson, will also be available in the country. This could further facilitate the claim, ‘said General Secretary Somesh Kumar on Wednesday, as quoted by Telangana Today.
The general secretary also said that the state needs almost 3.5 doses COVID-19 vaccine so that the entire population of 1.5 million individuals between the ages of 18 and 44 in Telangana can be vaccinated at the same time.
Prime Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight these problems and call for the center’s intervention, he added.
Earlier in April, the Telangana government announced that it would vaccinate the entire population of the state free of charge, regardless of age. The minister said it cost more than 2,500 million to vaccinate everyone.
Source: The Siasat Daily