'States can extend booster for 18-59 age group'

PUNE: States and Union territories with Covid vaccine stocks allocated under the Centre's "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" have been allowed to extend the special vaccination drive until the stocks are utilised.
Dr N K Arora, the chairman of the Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), said, "States have been asked to utilise the allocated vaccine doses that have remained unused after the September 30 deadline. That means, in such states, people in the 18-59 age bracket can still have a free precaution dose at the government-run sites."
The move can help avert wastage of doses as a huge chunk of the stock in the government supply chain is set to expire by the end of December this year and early 2023.
The nationwide 75-day-long Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav special drive kicked off on July 15 and concluded on September 30. The campaign offered free precaution dose shots to citizens in the 18-59 years age bracket and also covered vaccination of others.
At the start of the special vaccination drive on July 15, only 8% of the eligible population aged 18 years and above had received the precautionary dose in India. With the intervention of 75-day-long free vaccination campaign, 27% of the eligible population have received their precautionary dose.
Prior to the 75-day special drive, the precaution dose for 18-59 years was chargeable at private vaccination sites. More than 76.18 lakh first doses, 2.35 crore second doses and 15.92 crore precautionary doses have been administered in India because of the 75-day drive.
In Maharashtra, the Covid vaccine drive has slowed down substantially. The average daily vaccination number has come down to 15,000 doses.