All private hospitals and nursing homes functioning as COVID vaccination centres with Covaxin have been directed by the Delhi government to vaccinate only those in the 18-44 age group who are due for their second Covaxin dose, news agency ANI reported.
The Delhi government’s Covaxin stocks have run out. At private hospitals, the vaccine is not easily available for those trying to get their first Covaxin jab.
Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court had asked the Arvind Kejriwal government to work out a strategy for administering Covaxin within the ideal time frame, to ensure that people who are due to get their second shot get fully vaccinated.
Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi was quoted as saying, “It is becoming a serious issue as a lot of people in the 18-44 group are nearing the date for their second dose. We are also getting reports that people are travelling 100-200 km to Meerut and Bulandshahr to get their shots because there is no vaccine in Delhi,” PTI reported.
According to official data released by the Delhi government, it had 11,290 Covaxin shots and 5,87,760 Covishield shots available for the 45-and-above age group till Friday morning.
Atishi had said on Friday, “We have about six lakh doses for the 45-plus age group, majority of which are Covishield. We think most of the stock of the 10,000 Covaxin shots will be over by today evening. We are estimating that most of our centres that were administering Covaxin will be shut from tomorrow and by the day after tomorrow (Sunday), Covaxin will not be available at any centre,” PTI reported.
Around 12,84,000 people have been fully vaccinated in the national capital and 56,51,226 doses in total have got the jabs.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)