COVID vaccine stock in Odisha to last for 2 days

Bhubaneswar:  Odisha Health and Family Welfare Director Bijay Panigrahi today informed that the state is running short of Covishield vaccine, which is administered to people across the state except the capital city.

Briefing mediapersons, the state COVID-19 Vaccine In-charge said there is stock of 6 lakh doses of Covishield, which will exhaust in two days. The Government has written a letter to the Centre seeking supply of adequate vaccines. However, there is sufficient amount of Covaxin vaccine, which is administered to the beneficiaries here only, he added.

Later Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, PK Mohapatra wrote a letter to the MoHFW requesting it to supply minimum 15 lakh Covishield doses immediately in view of surge in cases and impending heat wave.

He further stated only 3,49,130 doses of Covishield that have been assured by the Centre to reach on April 6 (2.00 pm) will not be sufficient for even two days.

Mohapatra mentioned the vaccine wastage rRate of the State is minus 0.5%, which is amongst the lowest in the country.

Earlier last month, the Health Department Additional Chief Secretary had written to Union Health Secretary requesting him to supply adequate doses of both Covaxin and Covishield at the earliest for uninterrupted vaccination.

Panigrahi further said while 33,04,732 vaccine doses have so far been administered in the state, it has been targeted to vaccinate 1.16 crore people.  As per the Centre’s guidelines, fresh registration of frontline workers and healthcare workers for the vaccination is not being held in the state.

Regarding measures taken against COVID resurgence, the official said the Government is fully alert since cases are rising in bordering districts. Testing and tracing of people coming/returning from Chhattisgarh is being done.

“Collectors and CDMOs of those bordering districts have been asked to take all necessary measures and intensify the vaccination drive to control transmission of the virus. They have also been asked to focus more on the vulnerable groups there,” the official added.