Odisha urges Centre to provide Covid vaccine requirements for at least 15 days in advance

In order to continue the uninterrupted inoculation drive, the Odisha government on Friday requested the Central government to supply COVID-19 vaccines for at least 15 days in advance to the state. The state government took this decision in order to secure more stocks as a new wave of infections takes hold in several parts of the country.

Odisha State health secretary PK Mohapatra wrote a letter to the Union Health Ministry and urged the Centre not to discriminate between states as other states were receiving up to 3 lakh vaccinations daily.

"We are unable to plan vaccination sessions for even 15 days in advance due to insufficient vaccine supply to our state, is seen that other states are achieving up to 3 lakhs vaccinations daily due to adequate vaccine supply. It is requested that there should not be any discrimination between states in the supply of vaccines," said Mohapatra, reported ANI.

He further informed the government that Odisha has already administered more than 20 lakh doses of COVID vaccine to Front line Workers and an age-appropriate group of citizens.

"Keeping in view the heatwave conditions in our state, which will worsen over the coming months, we are planning to accelerate our vaccination drive so as to vaccinate at least 2 lakh citizens daily and complete the target before the weather becomes more severe. Hence, you are requested to supply at least 15 days vaccine requirement in advance to our state for uninterrupted vaccination drive," the letter read, reported ANI.

COVID-19 Cases in Odisha

At present, there are 1,132 active COVID-19 cases in Odisha. As many as 3,36,409 recoveries and 1,919 deaths have been reported so far. In the last 24 hours, 161 new active COVID cases reported with 73 recoveries.

COVID-19 cases in India

As per the Union Health Ministry's data, India reported 62,258 new COVID-19 cases with 30,386 recoveries and 291 deaths in the last 24 hours.

• Total number of cases: 1,19,08,910 
• Total recoveries: 1,12,95,023
• Active cases: 4,52,647
• Death toll: 1,61,240
• Total vaccination: 5,81,09,773

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: PTI)