State's cumulative vaccination exceeds 2.26 crore

Kolkata: State Health department has already vaccinated over 2.26 crore people cumulatively till Sunday. State vaccinated around 66,741 people on Sunday.

On Saturday the state had vaccinated 2,65,710 people across Bengal. Health department also conducted vaccination among 32,91,922 people belonging to the age bracket 18-44 so far. No adverse effects following immunization (AEFI) were reported on Sunday. State had conducted around 1,51,721 second doses of vaccination on Saturday. Around 2,357 Covid vaccination centers (CVCs) have been set up till Sunday. Around, 1,936 AEFI cases have been reported across the state till date.

The State Health department on a number of occasions crossed the 3 lakh mark of daily vaccination across Bengal last week. Health department has already set a target of vaccinating around 5 lakh people on a daily basis.

It may be mentioned here that the state Health department is yet to start universal vaccination among the age group 18-45 in all the Covid vaccination centers (CVC) at free of cost as it has not received adequate doses from the Centre. Sources said that it will soon be started in the state. Anybody above the age of 18 who will approach a center will get a jab for free. Till now vaccination is being done mostly among the target groups. Though people belonging to the age bracket 18-45 are being vaccinated in some centers.

State government has procured more 18 lakh doses of vaccine directly from the manufacturers by spending Rs 59 crore from the state's exchequer.

Even the vaccine wastage is negative in the state.

Presently state has the capacity of vaccinating at least 5 lakh a day, which can be stretchable to 7-8 lakh a day subject to vaccine availability. Since there is very scarcity of the vaccine, it is decided to give priority to the 2nd dose and at least 50% of the available vaccine will be utilised for that. As the health department has accelerated the immunization drive in the state, it requires a steady supply of vaccination from the Centre. If the Centre ensures a steady supply the state would soon be able to cross 5 lakh vaccination mark on daily basis.