East Singhbhum vaccination drive likely to be suspended from next week

JAMSHEDPUR: The Covid-19 vaccination drive in East Singhbhum is likely to be suspended from next week if the depleting stock of Covishield is not replenished by Sunday. “We have about 2,000 vials of the vaccine left, which get exhausted today. If the fresh stock doesn’t arrive by the end of this week, then we have to temporarily shut the inoculation drive across many centres from Monday,” district civil surgeon Jujhar Majhi said on Saturday.
“On an average, the district receives 4,000 vials of Covishield regularly, but our daily requirement is 10,000,” Majhi added.
Of the 16,77,051 beneficiaries in East Singhbhum, about 20% have taken Covaxin, while the rest have opted for Covishield.
In the past few weeks, the district has seen a rise in the number of beneficiaries taking the precautionary dose after the Centre on July 13 announced to give free booster shots to those in the 18-59 age group at government vaccination centres under a 75-day special drive from July 15. A total of 15,53,954 beneficiaries in that age group are eligible for the precautionary dose in East Singhbhum.
Dr Majhi added, “The daily count of those taking the precautionary dose is increasing and as a result, the Covishield vials are depleting rapidly.”
On an average, 4,000 beneficiaries are taking the booster jab across the 30-odd centres in the district, as per the vaccination data.
As of Friday, 15,62,705 beneficiaries took the first dose, while 12,12, 029 the second dose. As many as 58, 293 have taken the booster dose.
“In the wake of a spike in Covid cases, people are keen on taking the booster dose,” additional chief medical officer Sahir Pall said.
With 32 fresh cases and one death on Friday, the district has reported 70,353 cases, 68,956 recoveries and 1,137 deaths so far. East Singhbhum’s first Covid case was detected on May 13, 2020.