Only 5.35% population of Punjab fully vaccinated, Centre needs to increase supply: Balbir Singh Sidhu

CHANDIGARH: With the third wave of infected projected to hit by August, the vaccination drive in Punjab needs a push as the government has so far been able to fully vaccinate only 5.35% of its population.
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that the state has been able to vaccinate 94,79,351 persons out of which 77,16,433 have received the first dose and 17,62,918 have completed their vaccination with two doses.
Sidhu pointed out that Punjab has been receiving less supply of vaccine and said that he has been requesting the central government to expedite the vaccine supply so that the state government can safeguard its population by vaccinating them with both doses of vaccine. He said that presently the figure of people with both doses of vaccine in Punjab stands at just 5.35 %. Therefore, for avoiding the third wave of Covid-19 apart from health infrastructure, the vaccine supply needs to be ramped up by the central government so that the entire population can be covered.
As the fear of the third wave of Covid-19 is looming large, he said that the government is geared up for tackling the anticipated load of a large number of cases he said adding that the health department is fully equipped to handle cases that may be more than the infections in the second wave, enough health infrastructure such as enhanced bed capacity, 9000 oxygen concentrators, 75 PSA oxygen generation plants have been added in a short span of time.