'All jab centres for 18+ will shut after today due to no vaccines'
New Delhi: As the Capital prepares to go into Saturday's vaccination drive with just a few thousand doses of the Covid-19 vaccine left for those between the ages of 18 and 44, Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi on Friday said that after today (Saturday), all centres administering vaccines to this age group will have to be shut due to "absolutely zero vaccines".
The leader, who presents the city's vaccination bulletin every day, said that Delhi had just 42,380 doses (3,000 Covaxin and nearly 39,000 Covishield) left for this age group as of Friday morning. Around 36,000 people in this age group were vaccinated on May 20.
The Capital has had to shut down hundreds of vaccination sites in the last few days due to dwindling stocks. It started the insulation drive for the 18-44 age group at 368 sites spread across 99 schools. As of Friday morning, nearly 235 sites across over 50 schools had been shut due to a shortage and MLA Atishi said the remaining 133 sites across 46 schools will also be shut after tomorrow.
The AAP leader said, "This means, after tomorrow, the entire vaccination programme for 18-44 will be temporarily stopped due to absolute zero vaccines. This is extremely saddening and worrisome. The young lot has been affected a lot by COVID-19 in the second wave, and has even succumbed to the virus. This is the lot that really wants to get vaccinated at the earliest."
In fact, Health Minister Satyendar Jain also rang the alarm bell, saying that even on Friday many vaccination sites had to be shut as they ran out of doses.
"Delhi had exhausted its Covaxin stock many days ago. Covishield doses, too, have been consumed. Many centres are being shut today," Jain said.
Delhi Development Minister Gopal Rai, meanwhile, blamed the Centre for the vaccine shortage and said it was "failing" in its duty of providing vaccines to states, and hoped that the system improves at the earliest.
"The vaccines that were supposed to be given to the people of India have been sent abroad and it was done on the direction of the central government. I think the Centre is completely failing at this (providing vaccines) and we can only hope that this system improves as soon as possible so that maximum people can be vaccinated and the future dangers can be deferred," said Rai, after inaugurating a 100-bed COVID care facility at the Ambedkar College in Babarpur, which will be linked to the GTB Hospital.
Referring to his government's helplessness on the availability of vaccines, Rai said they want the people to get vaccinated, and have opened vaccination centres.
"But if the Delhi government does not get the vaccines, all they can do is request the central government," he said.
However, Atishi on Friday said that vaccines were still being administered at 661 centres operational in over 400 locations to those above the age of 45, healthcare workers, and frontline workers. But the MLA added that even for this age group, vaccines were running out quickly.
"For those above 45 and healthcare/frontline workers, Covaxin's stock is left for less than 1 day, and Covishield's stock is remaining for 8 days. We have received 45,94,250 doses for this category, out of which, 43,40,540 have been utilised. This means, 2,53,710 are still left with us. The stock for Covaxin, which is too less, is being used to inoculate people with the second dose. This is because we have a limited supply of Covaxin for 45+ as well," she said, adding that the youth should motivate older residents to get vaccinated.
Atishi also appealed to the Centre for providing Delhi with the required number of vaccine doses, especially for the 18-44 age group and said that if the stocks do not arrive in time, the vaccination drive for this age group will screech to halt from Monday.
