Kerala gets 8.87 lakh Covid vaccine doses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health minister Veena George has informed that 8.87 lakh more vaccine doses have reached the state on Wednesday.
The state has received 8,86,960 more vaccine doses. This batch comprises eight lakh Covishield vaccines and 86,960 doses of Covaxin. Thiruvananthapuram received 1,69,500 Covishield doses, while Ernakulam and Kozhikode received 1,96,500 and 1,34,000 doses of vaccine, respectively. Thiruvananthapuram received Covaxin 29,440 doses, while Ernakulam and Kozhikode received 34,240 and 23,280, respectively. Apart from this, Ernakulam also received three lakh additional Covisheild doses.
George said the government plans to ensure first dose vaccine to people above 60 years and bedridden patients before August 15. “More than 1.25 lakh people above 60 years of age have been administered vaccine on Wednesday itself. The total vaccination on Wednesday is 2,37,528," she said.
As per the Kerala demography, estimated in 2021, 45.5% people have been administered the first dose, and 18.41% have received the second dose. This means that 55.64% of those above18 years have received the first dose, and 22.51% have received the second dose, she said.
She also allayed rumours that the government has made registration at the local body level mandatory for receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. “LSGI registration is not required to receive the vaccine. People are only requested to choose vaccine centres in their respective local bodies to ensure the equitable distribution of the same,” the minister said.
TPR at 14.49% in state
The state on Wednesday reported 23,500 new Covid-19 cases and the number of deaths 116 on the day. The test positivity rate is 14.49%.
While 22,049 persons were infected through contact, the source of infection for 1,258 persons remains unknown.
Based on the weekly infection population ratio (WIPR), 266 wards across 52 local bodies are under lockdown.