Karnataka seeks additional vaccine stocks from Centre with only 10 lakh doses left
The Hindu
Health Minister K Sudhakar says since the government has decided to conduct special vaccination camps to increase the precaution dose coverage from the existing 22% to 50% by January, the current vaccine stock may not be sufficient
The State has urged the Centre to provide additional stocks of vaccine to Karnataka as there can be an increased demand for the booster shot in the current situation, said Health and Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar.
Addressing presspersons after participating in a videoconference of health ministers of all States conducted by the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on December 23, Friday, Mr. Sudhakar said Karnataka now has a stock of around 10 lakh doses. “As we have decided to conduct special vaccination camps to increase the precaution dose coverage from the existing 22% to 50% by January, the current vaccine stock may not be sufficient,” he said.
Meanwhile, there is a shortage of Covishield vaccine in BBMP health facilities. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath, who admitted there is a shortage, said the available vaccine stock will expire by January end.
“Over 90% of people had taken Covishield in the first and second doses. We are submitting a proposal to the State government to procure Covishield vaccine soon and increase the booster dose availability,” he said.
Following the Union Health Ministry’s direction, the State will conduct a dry run of COVID-19 infrastructure in all government hospitals on December 27. “This is to ensure that all infrastructure we had installed during earlier waves of COVID-19 including oxygen plants and oxygen generators are ready to use,” he said.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.