Bhubaneswar: Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said around 97 Percent of Health Care Workers (HCW) has received the first dose of COVID vaccine while a total 87 Percent have received the second dose of the Coronavirus vaccine.
Similarly, 97 Percent of FLWs have got the first dose and 85 Percent among them have received the second shot of COVID jab,.
Mr.Mohapatra said at a press conference that there are 1.16 crore people in State who are more than 45 years or above in age. 43.55 lakh among these persons (above 45 years) have received the first dose of COVID vaccine which is 37.5 per cent, he added.
The second dose is due for 23.43 lakh persons in the age group of 45 years above and among them, around 6 lakh persons have received the second dose recently, said Mr.Mohapatra.
“But the second dose is due for at least 17 lakh persons in Odisha,” he added.
The duration between Covaxin doses is 28 to 41 days. There is not much issue for Covaxin which is limited to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation area. But there is a major concern pertaining to Covishield.
“In all 30 districts of Odisha, excluding BMC area, we are administering Covishield. The Chief Minister has written three letters, our Department Minister has written four times to Centre, and I have myself written multiple times for supply of Covishield,” said Mr.Mohapatra.
“During a video conference on Wednesday, I earnestly requested the Union Health Secretary to facilitate the supply of 15 lakh doses of Covishield to Odisha. I cited the crisis we are facing in terms of second-dose-beneficiaries,” he added.
“On Tuesday we got 1 lakh vaccines and by 15th May we are likely to get another 6 to 7 lakh doses. These vaccines will be given on priority to those whose second dose is due and the first dose of HCWs and FLWs. This will be the protocol for all districts.”
The window for administering the 2nd dose of Covishield is 42 to 56 days, as per the guidelines issued by the Government of India. Odisha Government is making all efforts to vaccinate one and all in the State.
“I have written to all districts to use the next lot of vaccines exclusively for those, whose second dose is due,” added Mr.Mohapatra.