COVID-19 vaccine shortage in Delhi forces centres to shut; dejected citizens share plight

The state-run COVID-19 vaccination centres across the national capital are facing vaccine shortages. Several people are worried about their chances of missing their scheduled date for the second shot. The city's scenario worsened from July 12, with many centres asking people not to come till further informed. 

A look at the city's vaccine data

As per the Delhi government's daily bulletin, as many as 62,04,600 doses of Covidshield and 22,88,780 doses of COVAXIN have been received from the Central government so far. Between June 21 to 27, an average of 61.14 lakh vaccine doses were administered across the country, as per the Centre's Co-Win portal. However, the figure lapsed to 34.32 lakh between July 5 to 11.

Delhi vaccine shortage crisis 

Speaking to ANI, people expressed their anguish after being told to return without a dose despite several attempts and repeated visits to inoculation centres. Centres that have closed in the last few days due to the shortage include NDMC near Bengali market, Ishani Govt Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Navyug school at Pandara Park, Anglo Arabic Sr. Secondary at Ajmeri gate, Guru Govind Singh school at Deputy Gunj, Sarvodaya Vidyalaya at Mori gate, GBSSS at Rajouri Garden, Tihar Jail Gate no 6, SDMC school No 4 in Tilak Nagar, CGSH at Paschim Vihar and Govt Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya at Naraina. A security guard outside a vaccination centre told ANI that vaccines were not available at the moment and beneficiaries will be informed when they get more doses.

"I have been coming here for the last three days to get my second shot. It was due 10 days ago but now they are saying there is no vaccine. They are not even giving me an assured date. The same scenario has cropped up once again. How long shall we wait to get shots?" said 78-year-old Daroga Rai. 

Another woman at Govt Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Naraina said "We have been told that vaccines are not available. The scenario has been like this for the last three days. Moreover, they are not even telling us when to come next. How we will get to know? No matter what, commoners suffer."

According to the data available with the Union Health Ministry, as many as 89,37,940 vaccine doses have been administered in Delhi so far, including 68,43,441 first doses and 20,94,499 second doses. Recently Delhi's health minister Satyendar Jain mentioned that 1.5 lakh Covishield vaccines were received last night, and are likely to be used up by tomorrow post which the centres will have to be shut. He added "Vaccine availability is low. We had received 1.5 lakh Covishield vaccines yesterday, which will be used up by tomorrow, after which centres will be closed. We have to repeatedly shut centres. We can't work on Haryana's model to save jabs"

COVID-19 vaccines are in shortage across various parts of the country including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. India reported 31, 443 fresh cases of coronavirus on Tuesday. The recovery rate has improved and stays at 97.28 per cent. There were 4,31, 315 active Covid cases as of 8 am today, which has been the lowest in the last 109 days. 

(Source-ANI)