Bhubaneswar: Due to shortage of vaccine, the State may need to stop vaccination against Covid 19 from tomorrow, said Odisha Health Minister Naba Kisore Das in an exclusive interview with Kalinga TV.
It is to be noted that in the fight against Corona though vaccination for the 18-44 age group has started in the State, on May 3, the drive ran only in Bhubaneswar. People were vaccinated at 30 vaccination centres across the capital city who had booked slots after online registration. In other places of the State vaccination could not be done due to lack of vaccines.
Asked about it the Health Minister said that – the Centre is providing vaccine for the 45 plus age group while Odisha CM has announced to provide vaccine to people in the age group of 18 to 44. We have 19,900 doses of Covishield on today’s date. On the basis of this stock, it will not possible for vaccination tomorrow.
I have written several times to the Centre to provide us (the State) 25 lakh doses of vaccines. The honourable CM had also asked honourable PM to provide vaccine, Das said.
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As per the announcement of the CM to provide vaccines to the people of 18-44 age group, we have ordered Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech 377 lakh Covishield and 10.34 doses of Covaxin. The CM himself has taken initiative for this. Also, high level officers are trying their best to get it executed so that once the vaccine lot reaches the State, we can start vaccination. However, so far we have received only 1.5 lakh doses of Covaxin. And as per CM’s announcement about vaccination from May for the 18-44 age group, we have already started the drive. We hope we will soon receive abundant vaccine and everything will go on smoothly, he added.
On the other hand, the Bramhastra (sure shot weapon) of defeating Corona is to abide the Corona rules like wearing mask, maintaining social distancing and regular sanitization besides staying at home. If we would maintain all these things, we surely will defeat Corona, Das also said.
Ms Kalinga