Why these states may not start vaccinating those aged 18+ from May 1
States like Punjab, Delhi, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana claim that they do not have sufficient doses of vaccine to inoculate people in the 18-45 age group. Some have decided to first complete the process of vaccinating those aged 45.
FollowEven as the nationwide Covid vaccination drive enters the next stage on May 1, several states have expressed their inability to start inoculating those aged 18 and above.
States like Punjab, Delhi, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana claim that they do not have sufficient vaccine doses to inoculate people in the 18-45 age group. Some have decided first to complete the process of vaccinating those aged 45.
Let's take a look at the reason cited by some of the states:
Madhya Pradesh
Reason: Vaccine makers cannot supply by May 1
Madhya Pradesh will not start a vaccination drive for those above 18 years from May 1, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced.
Chief Minister Chouhan said the state government had placed the orders with Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech. However, Shivraj claimed that the manufacturers told him that they would not deliver Covishield or Covaxin doses by May 1.
Following this, the state government decided not to start the vaccination drive from May 1.
Maharashtra
Reason: Non-availability of vaccines
Maharashtra government has declared that the Covid-19 vaccination drive could not be launched from May 1 because of the unavailability of sufficient vaccine doses.
The state government is also mulling a committee comprising health department representatives and some senior ministers to do micro-planning about implementing the vaccination programme.
The committee will assess whether people can be categorised into 18-25, 25-35 and 35-44 age groups. The committee will discuss whether the 35-44 age group can be vaccinated first or those with co-morbidities among these will be inoculated first.
In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced that vaccination would be shut for three days from April 30 due to lack of adequate vaccines.
Andhra Pradesh
Reason: First, we vaccine people over 45 years
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced that the vaccination for beneficiaries aged above 18 years will not begin before September.
Jagan said that the state's priority at the moment was to vaccinate people aged above 45 years. "Vaccinating people over the age of 45 will take four months, which means those in the age group of 18-45 will be vaccinated by the end of January 2022," the chief minister said.
Chhattisgarh
Reason: Covaxin available only by July-end
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced that the state had placed an order for 25 lakh vaccines with both Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India. Baghel informed that Bharat Biotech replied it could supply vaccines only by July-end.
Chief Minister Baghel said the state government is ready with a roadmap to expand vaccination, but the Centre would have to help with the vaccine supply.
Odisha
Reason: Shortage of vaccines
Health officials in Odisha said that it is likely that the third stage of vaccination may not commence from May 1 due to a shortage of vaccines in the state. Officials claimed that the Centre had not supplied adequate dosages of vaccines. Due to the unavailability, the phase III vaccination drive is likely to be delayed.
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