Andhra Pradesh State administers 1.5 crore coronavirus vaccine doses

Amaravati: The state has completed administration of 1.50 crore coronavirus vaccine doses, covering 1.21 crore persons in the state at least with the first dose till June 28. While it took five-and-a-half months to achieve this (1,50,92,770 doses), the state may cover half that number in the next 31 days as per the quota of vaccines AP is due to receive from the Centre.

Of the total, 1,21,18,655 got the first dose and 29,74,115 of them completed the full quota of two doses. Barring young mothers with children under the age of five years, persons in the 18-44 age group will have to wait at least till the middle of August to get the shot. The Centre allotted 44,10,440 doses of Covishield and 9,04,300 doses of Covaxin to AP for July. Though the private hospitals are lagging way behind in inoculating people, the Centre allotted 14,70,150 doses of Covishield and 3,01,430 of Covaxin as per the new policy under which the non-government sector will get 25 per cent of the vaccines produced. "Both government and private put together, close to 71 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses are expected to AP in July. We currently have over five lakh doses in hand....," principal secretary (health) Anil Kumar Singhal said. Also, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are yet to deliver 16.54 lakh doses of vaccine in June, for which the state government has already paid Rs 68 crore. In July, 24,36,787 persons have to be given the second dose of Covishield and 6,88,190 Covaxin.

Of the 1.33 crore persons in the 45-plus age bracket, only some 66 lakh took the first dose and 21.51 lakh of them the second dose. The balance 34 per cent has to be covered first, along with five lakh young mothers who are yet to take a jab. "Some (vaccine) hesitancy still prevails but we are going ahead in a campaign mode to ensure that all eligible persons are inoculated," the principal secretary noted.

Asked about the paid vaccination by private hospitals, the official pointed out that they were actually doing little. "So far, they could administer only about three lakh doses, though they are getting the stocks. The Centre should take back the left over from such hospitals and give it to the state government so that we could make good use of the vaccine," he added.

The principal secretary denied that protocols were violated during the mega vaccination drive undertaken on June 20, wherein a record 13.70 lakh persons were inoculated in a day. "There has been no bypassing of procedures or violation of protocols. We have strictly followed the registration process, physical distancing and half an hour observation of the vaccinated persons. Not one adverse event was reported during the drive," Singhal said. They had opened more vaccination sites and deployed a good number of personnel and accomplished the task. "Our objective was not creating records. It is only a question of effectively administering the vaccine. In fact, our vaccine wastage is nil," Singhal noted.