VIJAYAWADA: Rush at Covid vaccination centres across the State continued on Saturday. Though the health department has made it clear that due to limited stock of Covid vaccine, priority is being given to people who need to take the second dose, people thronged the vaccination centres in large numbers. Vaccination in Guntur district was temporarily suspended. Collector Vivek Yadav said, “We will resume vaccination tomorrow after resolving technical and database issues.”
Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal also clarified that given the limited stock of vaccine, which is sufficient to administer it to those who are scheduled for the second dose, it was decided not to give Covid jabs to those seeking the first dose now.
‘Can’t give first jab as deadline for the second fast nearing’
“At this juncture, we cannot administer the first jab as the deadline for the second jab of those who took the first dose, is fast nearing,” he said, and appealed to people not to visit the centres for the first jab. He said they had once again communicated to the Secretary of Health Ministry for making changes in CoWIN application to allow the State to use the vaccine procured on its own from makers.
Even though the district administration of Chittoor had arranged 20,000 doses of Covishield and 6,000 doses of Covaxin for the second dose, people in large numbers visited the health centres. In Tirupati, people aged above 45 years, along with 18 plus group, thronged the Urban PHCs for getting jabs. Many youngsters also visited health centres for vaccination without getting any time slot in the CoWIN website. The situation was similar in Madanapalle.
People who waited outside the health centres in the division, stormed into the centres at once soon after opening of gates causing melee and stampede like situation. Stampede-like situation was seen at health centres in Chennareddy Colony, Ruia Hospital, Scavengers Colony, Old Municipal Office and Bairagipatteda in Tirupati. A woman collapsed in the queue at the health centre in Scavengers Colony. Two others also collapsed at Ruia Hospital. Similar situation prevailed in Vijayawada and other parts of Krishna district. Kadapa and Prakasam districts also witnessed huge rush at vaccination centres.