First dose of C-vaccine jabs to restart today in Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: The first-dose Coronavirus vaccination will resume in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. A total of 28,15,000 doses will be procured by the state government till June 15, including supplies from the central government and the vaccine doses purchased by the state government.

The first dose of Covishield vaccine will be administered to employees above 45 years belonging to railways, RTC and banks and journalists for three days from May 24.

Health department principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal said on Sunday  that district collectors have been advised accordingly. The vaccine doses will be given on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No Covaxin first dose would be administered.

He said 13,13,000 vaccine doses are distributed across 13 districts that included 1,55,000 Covaxin vaccine doses. He recalled that chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had written a letter to Prime Minister to say that “vaccines are not available as per requirement and it is not appropriate to sell vaccines through private hospitals.”

Till date, 76,49,960 corona vaccine doses have been received from the central government. The state government has purchased 11,64,120 doses on its own. Till date, 78,78,604 doses have been administered to beneficiaries, of which 23,38,791 received two doses and 32,01,022 one dose.

The state government would purchase 14,86,220 vaccine doses by June 15 including 11,45,540 Covishield doses and 3,40,680 Covaxin doses. The central government has allotted 14,15,420 doses to AP for May, of which 11,65,365 doses were received and 2,50,060 doses expected.

The central government has allotted 7,68,010 doses to AP for June. In addition to the quota due in May, 10,18,000 doses are expected to be received from the Centre by June 15.