DEHRADUN: At the current rate of vaccination, it will take another 16-18 months to cover about 70 per cent of the population of Uttarakhand, revealed analysis of data from the state health department. Seventy per cent means over 80 lakh.
Anoop Nautiyal, whose Social Development for Communities has been collating and analysing data since the first Covid-19 case surfaced in the state on March 15 last year, said: "To vaccinate the population between the age group of 18-45, 1.32 crore doses are needed.' Till May 27, a total of 35,36,840 vaccine doses to check Covid 18 have been administered.
Of this, 21,72,760 have been given the first dose and 6,82,040 both the doses. At present, the estimated population of the state is 1.15 crore, out of which around 66 lakh are between 18 and 44. Uttarakhand has received a total of 29,98,400 doses till May 21.
Out of this, 92,370 are Covaxin and 29,06030 are Covishield. Officials from the state health department said that vaccine doses for those above 45 are allocated by the Centre free of cost. Costs of doses for those above 18 are brone by the state government and private players, if they are willing to procure the doses.
As far as the vaccine allocation trend is concerned, it has witnessed an upward growth from January 2021. In that month, the state received a total of 205500 doses of Covisheild allocated by the Centre followed by 4,26,660 in February, 6,28,540 in March, 8,97,150 in April and 7,59,550 in May.
Uttarakhand received its first-ever lot of Covid-19 vaccines on January 13, with 1.13 lakh. This was followed by 92,500 on January 20, 1,40,160 on February 4, 1,93,500 on February 11, 93,000 on February 26, 2,24,010 on March 9, 2,03,790 on March 22, 2,00740 on March 31, 1,95,240 on April 2, 1,38,340 on April 11, 1,54,570 on April 14, 2,00,000 on April 16, 90,000 on April 17, 50,000 on April 21, 50,000 on April 23, 1,00,000 on April 27, 2,00,000 on May 3, 1,20,000 on May 4, 1,75,000 on May 8, 42,370 on May 12, 1,22,180 on May 18 and 1,00,000 on May 21. A total of 2,64,550 doses have been procured by the state government from domestic manufacturers.
EXPECTING SUPPLY OF COVISHIELD
The state government is also due to receive 1,41,130 doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India, Pune, any day, said state health department officials.