Shortage may halt vaccination drive in Odisha for 1 week

BHUBANESWAR: After vaccinating a record four lakh doses on Monday, Odisha may have to stop inoculation for a week due to short supply of Covishield. Inoculation of people who have not got the first dose may not happen this month as the state has decided to give priority to 28 lakh people whose second dose is due this month.
While the available stock of 6.14 lakh Covishield will be used up within the two days, the state expects the next consignment to arrive only around July 15, meaning it would be left with no stock for at least a week.
Alarmed at the scenario, additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra on Tuesday wrote to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhusan seeking more vaccines within the next two days. Mohapatra also asked districts to prioritise vaccinating those whose second dose are due this month.
The Covishield allocation of 25.31 lakh doses to the state in July is lower than the 28.31 lakh required to administer the second dose. To ensure vaccination of second dose to those whose dates are due, and manage the drive smoothly, the state health department has asked the Centre to allocate an additional 15 lakh doses of Covishield this month.
Mohapatra, when contacted, said while the state has the ability to vaccinate more than four lakh people, as was done on Monday, the state has to go slow due to supply crunch.
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