Gurugram: Vax boost from private hospitals but government sites hit by shortage

GURUGRAM: Finding vaccination slots on CoWin has become a tad easier in the city with several private hospitals opening session sites.
For now, though, these additional slots are benefiting the 45-plus population more than the 18-44 age group because no online slots have been available for the younger bracket in the last seven days at government session sites, which account for the bulk of Covid vaccine shots, because of vaccine shortage.
On Friday, 10,806 people in the 18-44 age group got inoculated at private setups, their highest single-day tally since May 1. When this correspondent checked on Friday, slots were available on CoWin for the 45+ at Eye Q clinic, Narayana and Sheetla Hospital at 1.30pm. For the 18-44 age group, available slots showed up only at Max and Artemis at 7.3pm.
From just two in the beginning of May, when the new policy kicked in of private hospitals procuring their stocks directly from vaccine manufacturers, there are 10 private hospitals now where one can get a paid vaccine. Other than Max and Fortis, which were the first out of the blocks, Artemis, Columbia Asia, CK Birla, Medanta, Cloud Nine, Eye Q clinic, Sheetla hospital and Narayana have also opened inoculation windows.
In May, of the total 2,16,415 Covid vaccine shots given in the city, private hospitals accounted for just 56,108 (26%). That number is expected to improve this month, though the overall speed of vaccinations will depend on government session sites, for whom June has begun slowly. Other than drive-through vaccinations and a day of walk-ins on May 31 where the 18-44 population got jabs, government session sites have not held usual vaccinations for a week for this age bracket.
Health department officials said they were not sure when fresh consignments would arrive. “We will not be able to hold any sessions for the 18-44 age group this week. We are likely to get both Covaxin and Covishield for this category after June 10,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer, Gurgaon.
Private hospitals, meanwhile, are also conducting vaccination camps at various residential societies and workplaces, filling to an extent the void created by lack of vaccinations at government facilities. However, this also means people are having to pay for the vaccines, which are free in the government setup.
“We are vaccinating with both Covishield and Covaxin at Max in the 18-44 and 45+ categories. We have increased the pace by allowing people to walk in for vaccination at our hospital from 5pm to 9pm daily. Before 5pm, people have to get a slot. We are vaccinating 20% people in the 45+ age group while 80% vaccinations are being done for 18-44 age group at present,” said Arpita Mukherjee, vice-president (operations) at Max hospital in Gurgaon.
Commander Navneet Bali, regional director (northern India) at Narayana Health, said, “Amid the second wave of the Covid pandemic, vaccination is the need of the hour to ensure protection from the severity of Covid. Pandemic is the time when human welfare should come before anything else. Some Narayana hospitals have announced they will not charge any service fees for vaccinating. The charge is Rs 650 for Covishield vaccine in the hospitals in order to boost vaccinations.”