18-plus drive deferred, Jalandhar district flags acute shortage of vaccine

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 30

The vaccination drive for those above 18 years has been deferred in the state as there has been an acute shortage of the Covid vaccine in the district. The district is left with merely 6,000 doses of the Covid vaccine.

While a little over 8,000 people were administered vaccines in the district today, only 3,000 more vaccines came to the district leading to an acute shortage.

Notably, while 10,000 doses were left on Thursday, of these 8,000 doses were administered today. Left with 3,000 remaining after yesterday’s drive and 3,000 more received today – the district doesn’t even have enough vaccines to meet its average per-day inflow of vaccine beneficiaries.

District Immunisation officer, Dr Rakesh Chopra said, “We have 6,000 to 6,500 vaccines remaining with us. The vaccination for over 18 persons have been deferred but a steady flow of those over 45 have been coming in to get vaccinated. We will make do until tomorrow but beyond that we will need more vaccines. An average of 10,000 beneficiaries are getting vaccinated across our Covid centres each day.”

Rationing of Remdesivir, oxygen still on

Meanwhile, the rationing and disbursal of both Remdesivir and oxygen goes on in the district as both the commodities are still short in the market. The district administration today supplied 485 Remdesivir vaccines to various private hospitals based on their need. The district drug department has been giving meagre Remdesivir supplies to various private hospitals based on stocks being received.

There have been occasions – including today – when merely four to five injections have been disbursed to some of the hospitals. Amidst acute shortage many hospitals have also repeatedly been complaining of delayed supply and preference of other hospitals.

DC Ghanshyam Thori said, “Remdesivir injections have been disbursed across over 40 hospitals today. The injections are being disbursed as soon as we receive stocks as per demand to the hospitals which require them.” Meanwhile, 1,884 oxygen cylinders are also continuing to be rationed across 60 private hospitals and the civil and military hospitals.