Coming, 60,000 doses for 18+ in Chandigarh

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 27

The vaccination drive for the 18 plus category is expected to gain momentum soon as the city will receive 60,000 more doses of the vaccine in the first week of June.

Left with nearly 6,000 doses for the 18-44 age group, which will last till June 4, the UT Administration will receive 36,000 doses while the remaining 24,000 doses will reach three private hospitals.

The UT had to stop booking slots for vaccination for beneficiaries in this age group after June 4 for want of the vaccine.

Total inoculation in city so far

So far, 27,986 persons have been administered the first dose in the 18-44 age group and eight the second dose

In the 45-60 age group, 1,04,769 have got their first dose and 13,143 the second dose

As many as 75,208 senior citizens have got the first dose and 33,140 the second dose

A total of 3,29,583 persons, including healthcare and frontline workers, have been inoculated in the city

Earlier, the UT Administration had announced opening up to 4,000 slots a day for the 18-44 age group. However, bookings could not be made beyond a day after the announcement when over 3,000 beneficiaries were vaccinated. The decision was later withdrawn due to shortage of vaccines.

Now, the UT will open slots only when new doses will arrive. The average number of 18 plus beneficiaries vaccinated daily is over 1,500 now.

Allow use of 45+ jab quota for 18+, says UT

The Chandigarh Administration has requested the Centre to reallocate at least 20,000 doses for the 18-44 age group from the vaccine quota of the 45 plus age group.

An official said even after getting an additional supply of 36,000 vaccines, it would not be sufficient for the 18 plus

age group.

Initially, the Administration had sought 1 lakh doses for the 18 plus age group, but it got 33,000. In the second lot, the UT was allotted 33,000 more Covid vaccines for the 18-44 age group.

The UT had asked the Centre for reallocation of the quota vaccine earlier too, but it was turned down, said the official.

An official said, “Nearly 3,20,000 persons in the 18-44 age group are yet to be vaccinated. We are getting the vaccine in a staggered manner for this group. So, the time required to vaccinate all of them will depend on the supply of vaccine by the manufacturers. We are getting about 36,000 doses very shortly and three private hospitals are also likely to get about 24,000 doses soon.”

Meanwhile, the UT has enough doses for the 45 plus category. Nearly 85,000 doses are still available with the UT for this age group. “The stock is sufficient for at least a month and a half, considering the trend of utilisation of the vaccine,” said the official.

Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary, Health, UT, said, “About 2.4 lakh persons have been administered the first dose of the vaccine. There are 6,31,338 persons aged 18 or above, according to the updated voters’ list,” he said, adding that only about 62,500 persons were left for vaccination in the 45 plus age group, considering their number as per the voters’ list. “There is no shortage of vaccine for this category and their vaccination can be completed in 10 days if the remaining beneficiaries turn up to take the shot,” he said.

Gupta said a private hospital, Chaitanya Hospital, was expected to start vaccination in the first week of June and the other two, Bedi Hospital and Global Hospital, in the second week of the next month.

Fortis Consultation Centre in Sector 11 was also considering starting vaccination shortly, he added.

So far, 27,986 persons have been administered the first dose in the 18-44 age group and eight beneficiaries have received the second dose too. In the 45-60 age group, 1,04,769 have got their first dose, while 13,143 have got their second dose as well. Similarly, 75,208 senior citizens have been administered the first dose and 33,140 the second dose.

A total of 3,29,583 persons, including healthcare and frontline workers, have been inoculated in the city. Around 70 per cent of the healthcare workers and 74 per cent of the frontline workers have been vaccinated so far.

The wastage of vaccine has been only 0.9 per cent.

Private hospitals to administer jab too

• Three private hospitals will get 24,000 doses in June
• Chaitanya Hospital to start vaccination in the first week of June
• Bedi Hospital and Global Hospital in the second week of June
• Fortis Consultation Centre in Sector 11 is also considering starting vaccination shortly

How many still to be vaccinated

• 18 plus: Nearly 3,20,000 persons in this age group are yet to get vaccinated in the city. As per the voters’ list, there are 6,31,338 persons aged 18 and above
• 45 plus: Only about 62,500 persons are left to be inoculated in this age group.