One lakh doses expected over weekend, says Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh Friday said that the first batch of 1 lakh Covishield doses was expected to arrive from Serum Institute of India (SII) over the weekend and the drive may start in government hospitals from Monday.

Punjab had placed an order of 30 lakh doses of Covishield with SII but there has been no supply yet from the company.

The CM on Friday asked the officials concerned to start preparations for vaccination of the priority groups in the 18-44 year category in the government hospitals from Monday. A total of 3.29 lakh doses are expected in May from Punjab’s order of 30 lakh doses.

The state government has identified construction workers, teachers, government employees and those with co-morbidities as high-risk individuals for priority vaccination in the 18-44 group.

The CM, who was chairing a virtual Covid review meeting, directed all government employees, except those with medical problems, to get vaccinated.

While the Labour Department will coordinate vaccination of construction workers and their families, the DCs have been asked to coordinate vaccination of government employees. Vaccination of co-morbid categories will also be planned by DCs, with only advance registration and slotting of vaccination site to be allowed.

Meanwhile, CM has directed the Chief Secretary to explore utilization of some component of the state’s World Bank loan for purchase of 10,000 Oxygen concentrators, along with tankers and O2 plants as well as vaccines.

CM expressed gratitude to the various organisations that were sending aid to the state to support its fight against the second deadly wave of the pandemic. He informed the meeting that besides the TATA Group, which was sending 500 Oxygen concentrators, an additional 200 concentrators were being sent by the Tata Memorial Hospital also.