Due to Insufficient vaccine supply, 700 Session Sites Shut In Odisha

Bhubaneswar (Reporters Today Bureau): As the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases across Odisha, due to ‘insufficient’ and ‘erratic’ vaccine supply nearly 700 vaccine session sites have been shut in the state.

“The massive vaccination drive has been halted in the State. A day after 400 vaccine centres were shut, 700 session sites have been closed on Wednesday due to shortage of vaccine,” informed Odisha Health and Family Welfare Director Bijay Panigrahi today.

A total,10,889 doses of the COVID 19 vaccine have been managing to the recipient. While 4,35,320 doses of Covishield vaccine are in stock, 1,14,490 doses of Covaxin jab are available in the State.

“We estimate that the stock of 4,35,320 doses of Covishield and 1,14,490 doses of Covaxin will be exhausted in two to three days. We need 25 lakh vaccines for the next 10 days. The vaccination drive was completely shut in Koraput district on Wednesday,” Panigrahi further said.

Health Minister Naba Kishore Das has written to the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and informing about the Shortage of COVID vaccines in the State.

“Due to shortage of vaccine, we have to close nearly 700 vaccination centres in the state (out of over 1400 functional sites). Only 755 could be made active today,” Das wrote it to Dr Harsh Vardhan

However, the Centre has rejected the claims by the States, calling these “baseless allegations”.

Dr Harsh Vardhan alleged that the States were trying to cover their “failures” and spread panic among the people by demanding vaccination for all without first vaccinating sufficient of the eligible recipient.

The Centre has directed to set up vaccination centres at workplaces from April 11. So far, 38,52,206 vaccinations have completed in the State.