Kolkata: Civic body to stop 1st-dose Covaxin shots

KOLKATA: The civic body has decided to shut its Covaxin vaccination centres for recipients of the first dose from Monday. However, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will continue its inoculation drive at the Covaxin centres for recipients of the second dose, a KMC health department source said.
According to a KMC official, the health department took the decision following a sharp drop in the number of first-dose recipients of Covaxin.
At present the KMC runs 37 Covaxin vaccination centres across the city. “We have decided to keep the first-dose vaccination suspended at our Covaxin centres from Monday for an indefinite period,” a KMC health department official said.
An acute shortage of Covaxin had forced the health department to shut Covaxin centres in July. The drive resumed after KMC received supply from the Centre.
“This time we have no dearth of vaccine, but we need to focus on recipients of the second dose,” said an official.