NEW DELHI: The Centre has flagged the issue of a high number of Covid vaccine stocks lying unused with states due to the slow pace of inoculation in some pockets even as India inches closer to the crucial milestone of administering 100 crore doses. As of now, nearly 8.5 crore Covid vaccine doses are available with the states to be administered to beneficiaries which is the highest since the vaccination began in January.
So far, a little over 94 crore doses have been administered in the country and the figures show that nearly 72 per cent of the population has now been partially vaccinated while about 27 per cent of the population were given both doses. In a review meeting of the vaccination drive in 19 states, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandviya informed that vaccine stocks have been lying unused in large quantities in states.
The government said that many states are nearing saturation of coverage in urban areas and are also catering to the floating population in the cities. This apart, labour and time-intensive door to door vaccination is being undertaken in some geographically aloof pockets where first dose coverage is nearing saturation.
Meanwhile, states like Uttar Pradesh, which undertake mass vaccination drives, pointed out the comparatively limited supply of Covaxin and the shorter span required between the doses as a rate inhibiting factor.
On Thursday, the government also urged 5 states, that includes West Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam where less than 60 per cent of the population is partially vaccinated, to accelerate the pace of inoculation. It reiterated that no mass gatherings should be allowed in areas identified as containment zones and in districts reporting more than 5 per cent case positivity. It also said that gatherings in stable areas should be allowed only with advance permissions and limited footfall.