TN exhausts Covid vaccine stock, new doses yet to come

According to the vaccine supply schedule sent by the Central government, the State was expected to receive 63,370 doses of Covaxin for the 18-44 years age group on Wednesday.
For representational purpose. (Photo | PTI)
For representational purpose. (Photo | PTI)

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s wait to recommence the vaccination drive against Covid-19 in several districts is getting longer as the expected stock of vaccines from the Central government had not been received till late Wednesday evening. According to the vaccine supply schedule sent by the Central government, the State was expected to receive 63,370 doses of Covaxin for the 18-44 years age group on Wednesday.

The State was forced to suspend its vaccination drive in 34 districts, out of the total 38, due to a shortage of doses on Tuesday. With just 12,050 doses left (5,740 doses of Covishield and 6,780 doses of Covaxin), other districts continued to vaccinate people on Wednesday. At the end of the day, as many as 12,609 people were vaccinated, which means there is no stock left, according to the health department data. Of the 12,609 people, as many as 1,768 were aged above 60 years, 4,589 were in the above 45 years category, 894 were frontline workers, 446 were healthcare workers, and 4,912 were in the 18-44 age group.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan told Express, “We have a meeting with the Union Health Ministry on Thursday and we will know about the new vaccine policy then.” Tamil Nadu had so far received 1.01 crore doses from the Centre, and about 97.6 lakh people were vaccinated till date.

Nearly 3.5 lakh doses were wasted in the first phase of the vaccination drive. The Centre is also expected to send 40,000 doses of Covaxin for the above 44 years group on Thursday, and 3,65,800 doses of Covishield for the 18-44 age group on Friday. 

Over 1K cases of black fungus

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said as many as 1,052 cases of mucormycosis were reported in the State so far, adding that the government has asked for 35,000 vials of Amphotericin B drug from the Centre, but so far received only 3,060 vials.

A separate ward to treat the infection will be opened in all government hospitals, said Subramanian. He added that in Covid hospitals across Chennai, digital information boards have been put up to update the health status of patients in ICU, to their attenders. Meanwhile, the State reported 17,321 positive cases.

The overall tally now stands at 22,92,025, and the toll at 28,170 with 405 additional deaths on Wednesday. Chennai reported 1,345 cases, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur recorded 726, 294, and 404 cases, respectively.

Home quarantine suspended in few localities in Kovai
Coimbatore: As the bed crunch has been easing in tandem with a declining caseload in Coimbatore, the health department has done away with home quarantine of Covid patients in certain localities that have
been witnessing a spike in cases

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The New Indian Express
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