No extra vials given under revised policy, says Atishi

New Delhi: As the Centre allowed walk-in vaccinations for the 18-44 age group from Monday onwards, under its revised Covid vaccination policy, with state after state reporting record vaccinations for the day, the Capital was left

behind facing a shortage of vaccines, AAP leader Atishi said, adding that the Centre had mismanaged the vaccination policy.

The Delhi government had earlier said that it was notified of the walk-in policy for the 18-44 age category via an email at the last moment and was still planning for it. Many Delhi govt centres could not allow walk-ins on Monday but Central sites were able to.

"Delhi government has received just a mere email from the Central Government suggesting that walk-in vaccination must be carried out for 18-44 as well. Delhi Government would definitely do this vaccination. But until we are provided more doses of vaccines, what is the point of this Vaccination Campaign or Vaccination Abhiyaan?" Atishi asked.

Delhi needs over 2 crore doses to fully vaccinate its eligible population against COVID-19, but the Centre will give just 15.19 lakh doses in July which will severely impact the pace and progress of the vaccination in the national capital, she added.

In an online vaccination bulletin, she also said, Delhi was expecting more doses from the Centre as the city is more vulnerable to the anticipated waves, and alleged that there was a "mismanagement" in the central government's vaccination programme.

"The Centre has informed that from July 1, Delhi will get 15,19,000 doses for that month. This is either less or equivalent to the scale of doses received in previous months. So, it was 14 lakh doses in June, 13.25 lakh in May and 23 lakh in April," she said.

Delhi's eligible population who have not received any shots stands at 83.7 lakh, and so, if people who have

received at least one dose are factored in, over 2 crore doses are needed for people of Delhi, Atishi said.

"But, we are going to receive just about 15 lakh doses. At this rate, it will take 13 months or more to vaccinate the entire eligible population, but by that time so many waves of Covid could hit Delhi. It will severely impact the pace of the vaccination," she said.

"So, we appeal to the Centre to send more and sufficient doses to Delhi to combat this pandemic," she added.

On one hand, the Centre says it is beginning universal vaccination from June 21, and then offers Delhi just 15 lakh doses for July, she said.

A total of 11,660 doses were administered in the national capital on Sunday, the Delhi MLA said.

The balance stock of doses for 45 years and above group is 8.25 lakh, and 2.68 lakh for 18-44 years group, she said.

The Covaxin stock for 18-44 years group is expected to last one more day while the Covishield will suffice for another 13 days.

The Covaxin stock for 45 years and above category is expected to last five days and Covishield may last for 57 days.