Patiala district grapples with vaccine shortage for 45+

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 16

For the third consecutive day, the Health Department could not inoculate beneficiaries aged 45 and above due to the shortage of vaccine.

The Patiala Health Department said those above 45 years would not be inoculated on Monday also. Patiala Civil Surgeon Dr Satinder said they had not received vaccine for people aged above 45 years. He said: “As we have not received vaccine from the Centre, the drive cannot be carried out for those above 45 years.”

The Department clarified that beneficiaries above 45 were being vaccinated from the doses of Central pool while above 18 years were vaccinated from state pool of vaccines.

Meanwhile, the Health Department said they vaccinated 3,602 beneficiaries aged 18- 45 today. Meanwhile, long queues were witnessed at various vaccination centres and social distancing norms went for a toss at a few centres.

A doctor of the Health Department said: “Hundreds of people gathered at vaccination centres. It appeared like a super-spreader event.”

31 deaths

As many as 31 patients, including three suspected Covid patients, died at the isolation wing of Government Rajindra Hospital during the past 24 hours. Only 11 of them were from Patiala while 15 belonged to other parts of the state. Only 12 patients were discharged from the hospital in the past 24 hours.