Given enough vax, NMC can complete dose-1 of 18+ in 30 days, 45+ in 20 days

Nagpur: As per the city's current vaccination capabilities, it would need 30 days to complete at least the first dose of the remaining beneficiaries of the 18-44 years age group, and 20 days for the 45-59 years age group. However, the ongoing trend of repeated breaks — sometimes for three days at a stretch — may stretch the duration of first dose drive to longer than two or three months.
The mandatory gap of 84 days for Covishield — which is given at most centres — will further prolong the second dose. Resultantly, it may take at least six more months for the entire 18+ population of the city to get vaccinated.
According to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the 18-44 group beneficiaries are estimated to be around 11.50 lakh and 45-59 group around 8.62 lakh, as per the previous census. The numbers are lower for Nagpur rural, which may require nearly the same duration for its target groups.
These are the two important age groups that have the potential to spread Covid-19 rapidly. During the second wave, the two groups’ population was also at the receiving end of the virus. Hence, an urgency can be seen from the daily record vaccination figures in the city, as well as rural parts of the district.
Around 2.20 lakh beneficiaries from the 18+ and 1.8 lakh from the 45+ group, respectively have completed their first doses.
The first dose of senior citizens, healthcare workers and frontline workers is nearly complete with close to 3 lakh inoculations.
The city has been vaccinating around 30,000-45,000 beneficiaries on days when it has sufficient doses. Around 9 lakh beneficiaries from the 18+ and six lakh from the 45+ group, respectively are yet to get their first doses.
In the last one month, most of the daily stock has been utilized among the 18-44 and 45+ groups, which were the last to join the drive.
NMC has also started using as many doses as possible in a day, without holding back any stock.
Additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi said 17 lakh citizens are eligible beneficiaries under all age groups as of now.
“The target is to vaccinate 60 percent of the city’s population above 18 years of age. This comes to around 17 lakh. More than 10.81 lakh inoculations have been done so far, through which the first dose of 7.5 lakh citizens has been completed, while over 3 lakh beneficiaries have taken the second dose. The achievement is around 45%,” Joshi said.
He added that nearly 90% of healthcare and frontline workers and elderly citizens have been covered.
“If 30,000 doses are given every day, we will be able to give first doses to the targeted population in a month’s time. However, since the supply is not regular, we are forced to run the drive for around 10-15 days only,” he said.
The civic body has also not received any assurance of restoring adequate and regular supply of doses from the government.
Days when drive ran full steam in district
Date ------------------1st dose---------------2nd-------------------total
Jul 3 ------------------25796---------------184449---------------- 44245
Jul 7 ------------------35220---------------28062------------------63282
Jul 11 ------------------31530---------------22154------------------53684
Jul 15 ------------------28062---------------17645-------------------45707
NMC data as on July 14
Total vaccination | 10.08lakh
First dose
18 + | 225559
45 + | 165641
60 + | 189740
Total | 778564 (includes HCW,FLW and other)
Target (approx.)
18 + | 11.50lakh
45 + | 8.62lakh
Box
1.92 lakh doses for division
The Nagpur divisoin received 1.92lakh doses of Covishield for its six districts. Nagpur district received highest allocation of 1.07lakh doses of which the civic body got 64000 doses. The NMC will utilize these doses over the next two days. In a press note, the cvic body informed that all the over 140 centre will resume vaccination of first and second doses of all eligible beneficiareis on Friday. Covaxin too would be given at five centres.