50% vaccine unused, nears expiry date in many states

50% vaccine unused, nears expiry date in many states

Chethan.Kumar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:20.02.2021

With only about 50% of the 2.2 crore vaccine supplied doses used so far, states are awaiting the Centre’s instructions on inoculating senior citizens and those over 50 years with comorbidities.

While officials of many states are concerned about stocks nearing expiry date, some are comfortable with the numbers. They said there’s no clarity about how beneficiaries of the 3rd phase will enrol for vaccination with self-registration an option. “We’ve been told that Phase 3 will begin in March and there’ll be clarity next week,” Arundathi Chandrashekar, mission director-Karnataka, National Health Mission, said.

5.8 lakh of 7 lakh vaccine doses used in Karnataka

All vaccines received will expire in May, just as in other states, and we should be able to use them when the third phase kicks off,” Arundathi Chandrashekar added. According to the Union health ministry, India has vaccinated 1,01,88,007 people so far, which means about 47% of the over 2.2 crore doses supplied to states have been used.

In Karnataka, 5.8 lakh doses of vaccines have been used of the 7.1 lakh doses received. While more than 50% of targeted healthcare workers have received the first dose, only 36% frontline workers have got it. This means the number of people needing the second dose before May — when vaccines at storage facilities will cross the expiry date — will not be enough to exhaust the existing supply.

Tamil Nadu, which received 12.3 lakh doses from the Centre, has so far inoculated 3.2 lakh people, including the second dose given to a few thousands. Health secretary J Radhakrishnan told TOI: “It would be prudent to give vaccines to those eager to take it. Even seniors and others with comorbidities come from the same pool as healthcare workers. There’ll be hesitancy there too, so the earlier we start, the better the chances of using the vaccines.”

As of Thursday, Maharashtra vaccinated 8.3 lakh people, while the number of doses it got is over 19 lakh. Similarly, Delhi has given the jab to over 2.4 lakh people, including about 7,000 second doses, while the Centre supplied more than 7.1 lakh doses.

Along with Delhi and Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Puducherry are among states with less than 50% coverage. While both Punjab health secretary and NHM director were unavailable for comment, Puducherry health secretary T Arun said: “Given that we have to include poll workers as part of frontline workers for vaccination, we’ll be able to use available doses.”

Punjab and Puducherry received 4.3 lakh and 31,000 doses respectively. An NHM director spearheading the vaccination drive said: “The situation is similar across many big states. The Centre needs to take a decision soon.”

Odisha NHM director Shalini Pandit said: “We don’t have a problem of low turnout. We need more doses to cover the first two rounds.”

EVERY DOSE COUNTS

All vaccines received will expire in May, just as in other states, and we should be able to use them when the third phase kicks off

Arundathi Chandrashekar

NHM MISSION DIRECTOR-KARNATAKA