Amid COVID-19 vaccine shortage, Punjab CM defers 18-45 age group vaccination
Faced with the shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday deferred Phase 3 of COVID-19 vaccination of the 18-45 age group, which was scheduled to begin on May 1.
He disclosed that the COVID-19 vaccination at private health facilities will remain suspended from Saturday.
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Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday made it clear that due to the non-availability of vaccines, Phase 3 of COVID-19 vaccination of the 18-45 age group cannot be started as scheduled.
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The chief minister said as the balance of unutilised vaccines had to be returned to the Government of India by all private health facilities by Friday evening, these facilities would have no vaccines to administer from tomorrow for 45+ population, while they could not vaccinate 18-45 age group as they had no supplies for the same, said the Chief Minister.
Punjab Chief Minister said his government was pursuing the matter of COVID-19 vaccine shortage with the Centre, as the situation was critical.
The state had received 2 lakh doses but that was not sufficient even to meet the two days requirement of the 45+ age group, said Captain Amarinder, while reviewing the Covid vaccine situation at a virtual meeting.
The state government was trying to secure supply for 45+ population from the center on priority, and was also trying to strategise Phase 3 vaccination on the basis of Dr. Gagandeep Kang’s expert group’s interim report, said Captain Amarinder Singh.
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