Odisha

Odisha may face COVID vaccine shortage from March 31

Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government has urged the Centre to supply Covid-19 vaccines to the State at the earliest.

Even as the State received 3.7 lakh doses on Tuesday and 9.8 lakh doses more are expected on April 2, the Health department fears it will have shortage of vaccines for four days from March 31.

Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said Odisha is inoculating around 1.25 lakh beneficiaries everyday.

“Though the plan is to step it up to two lakh vaccinations per day,  we are unable to do so due to less vaccine supply,” he said.

Taking into account the available stock of Covishield vaccine (8.2 lakh doses), the State can conduct sessions smoothly up to March 30.

“Even if we get the subsequent allocation of 9.8 lakh doses of Covishield on April 2, we will still have no vaccines from March 31 to April 3. The Union Health Ministry has been urged to supply adequate doses of Covishield vaccine on time so as to continue uninterrupted vaccination drive in the State,” he added.

So far, 19,60,719 doses of vaccines have been administered the State.

SCROLL FOR NEXT