Centre must find ways to step up vaccine output: Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has stressed the need for the central government to take measures to ramp up Covid-19 vaccine production to meet the huge demand in the country.

Stating that the country was facing an unprecedented and devastating onslaught by Coronavirus, the Chief Minister asserted that vaccination is the only way out for the country to contain the surge in infections. He demanded that the Centre find ways to increase the vaccine production.

The Chief Minister was speaking on the occasion of releasing the first tranche of YSR Rythu Bharosa. He said that at the rate of two doses per person, there would be a need for 172 crore doses for those above 18 years in the country. However, so far only about 18 crore doses have been administered, which is less than 10 per cent of the actual requirement, he rued.

He said that in Andhra Pradesh alone, over seven crore doses would be required to cover all those above 18 years, but the Centre has given only 73 lakh doses till date. In regard to vaccine production, he said that currently only two companies are manufacturing vaccines with just seven crore doses per month. While Bharat Biotech is producing one lakh doses, Serum Institute is making six lakh doses per month. He said that given this dire situation of vaccine shortage, the fight against Covid would be long and painful.

The Chief Minister urged the public not to let their guard down and to all precautions by wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, washing hands often, as living with Covid would be part of everyone's lives.