Odisha seeks precaution dose Covid vax from Centre

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Friday urged the Centre to provide necessary guidance and support for recommencement of Covid precaution dose in the state. Around 59 per cent people in the state are yet to get the precaution dose.

Covid vaccination has been stopped in the state since November 29 as there is no stock of vaccines. Odisha is the only one among six states and UTs that are facing a complete vaccine stock out. In a letter to union secretary of Health and Family Welfare Rajesh Bhushan, state health secretary Shalini Pandit requested to provide required doses of Covid vaccines to resume precautionary dose vaccination.

“Of the 3.25 crore people aged 18 years and above, 1.31 crore have been vaccinated with booster dose. The left out people have started demanding precaution dose following a surge in cases in several countries,” she wrote.

So far, 8.14 crore of vaccine doses have been administered in the state. Around 3.52 crore (97 per cent) have been administered the first dose, 3.3 crore (91 per cent) the second dose and 1.31 crore (41 per cent) precaution dose for 18 years of age and above.

The state had also procured around 16.17 lakh vaccine doses from outside. The vaccination drive in government centres was, however, stopped as there was no demand for booster dose. Director of Family Welfare Dr Bijay Panigrahy said the ministry had stopped supplying the free vaccines since mid-November as the demand among beneficiaries declined following a drastic drop in Covid cases.

Vaccines for precautionary doses are now available in 12 private hospitals of the state. Some private hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Dhenkanal have precaution doses in their stock. People can take the booster shot by paying Rs 380 per dose of Covaxin or Covishield.  Government vaccination centres can be reopened in short notice, he said.