Ensure people don’t miss 2nd shot, HC tells Karnataka, Centre

BENGALURU: Considering the severe shortage of Covid-19 vaccines in Karnataka, the high court on Thursday directed the state and central governments to place on record steps being taken to ensure that no recipient eligible for the second dose under the prevailing guidelines is deprived of full inoculation.
It asked the state government to come out with a rational and fair policy, and directed the state and central governments to indicate whether private agencies are permitted to administer the first dose in the backdrop of prevailing situation.

The court’s directions came after the advocate general submitted that as on date, 97,440 doses of Covaxin and 7,15,000 doses of Covishield vaccines are available in the state. The requirement: at least 3 lakh doses of Covaxin, and 58 lakh doses of Covishield. The AG said given the crunch, the state government has stopped administering the first dose of Covaxin, while the first dose of Covishield is being administered only to frontline and health workers.
Nearly 3L due for 2nd Covaxin jab
We may note here that the state government will have to meticulously rework the requirement of second dose of the beneficiaries who have taken the first dose,” a special division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar said in the order.
It added: “The state can work out datewise, the number of beneficiaries who will be completing eight weeks in case of Covishield and six weeks in case of Covaxin. While doing so, the state will have to exclude those whose days have been deferred by 3 months as stated in the letter dated May 19. Unless the state prepares data on an everyday basis, it may not be possible to effectively administer the second dose to those who have taken the first dose.”
In written submissions, the state government said as of May 15, around 4,55,000 beneficiaries who have taken the first dose of Covaxin have completed four weeks, while another 2,95,795 are overdue for the second shot.
As regards Covishield, the state said as of May 16, the first dose has been given to 80,42,371 beneficiaries, and second dose to 22,08,320. With this, a total of 58,34,051 beneficiaries will be due for the second dose of Covishield.
The central government has said that in the second fortnight of May, 9,17,340 lakh free doses of Covishield and 1,64,840 free doses of Covaxin will be supplied to Karnataka. In addition, the state can procure 7,04,050 Covishield and 2,44,170 Covaxin doses. The court has asked the state government to submit a statement on procurement of vaccines vis-a-vis the second half of May.