Fresh stock of vaccines arrives, drive yet to start

COIMBATORE: The district on Wednesday afternoon received a fresh consignment of 5,500 Covishield doses and 8,960 Covaxin doses. Sources, however, said that the Health department would take a call on when to resume vaccination drive because the doses received were minimal.  Sources said that the department did not host any vaccination drive on Wednesday due to  shortage of vaccines.

Sources said that the new batch of Covaxin doses would be utilised for beneficiaries waiting for their second jab and that Covishield would be administered to people above 18 years. 

‘Vax centre details only at 8 am'

The district administration on Tuesday announced that it would disclose the venues and doses only by 8 am to prevent people from crowding the vaccination centres.

Similarly, the token would be issued at 10 am and the vaccination would commence at 11 am. The move would ensure priority to local people and avoid long night queues at the vaccination camps, Collector G S Sameeran said in a tweet.

An official, seeking anonymity, explained, "If we announce the venues of vaccination by evening, people are gathering at the centres at night to secure a place. Many are desperate to get vaccinated and are travelling a far distance to get the jab. So, this move to disclose the vaccination centres at 8 am would ensure the streamlining of the queue."

The official added the city corporation would also disclose the list of vaccine centres only by 8 am.