Maharashtra May Face Third Wave If Covid Vaccination Slows, Say Experts

The warning came on a day when the Maharashtra government said it is not going to start the vaccination drive from May 1 for the 18-44 age group because of unavailability of sufficient doses.

A slowdown in the ongoing vaccination drive in Maharashtra, battling a savage surge in COVID-19 cases, will potentially pave the way for a third wave of the infection in the state, health experts warned on Wednesday. The warning came on a day when the Maharashtra government said it is not going to start the vaccination drive from May 1 for the 18-44 age group because of unavailability of sufficient doses. Health Minister Rajesh Tope has already expressed concern over the inadequate supply of vaccines for Maharashtra, the state worst-hit by the pandemic, amid reports of a shortage of doses for the existing beneficiaries (45-plus people), putting the inoculation drive on a slow track. The true curbing of COVID-19 can happen only if two thirds of the population eligible for vaccination is covered under the inoculation drive.