TN opens 3rd phase registration, but govt facilities yet to give slots

Currently, stocks of about 3.34 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin are available in State

CHENNAI: Four days after officially deferring the drive, the State opened up vaccination registration for people aged 18-44 years from Tuesday. However, very few appointments were available and that too only in one or two private hospital facilities, which got filled up as soon as they were made available.

With the State receiving two lakh doses of Covishield and 75,000 doses of Covaxin on Tuesday, currently, a stock of about 3.34 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin are available. Health officials said that vaccination appointment is subject to availability of the doses for all age groups, while priority for the elderly and those above 45 years of age will continue.

However, corporate offices are also being allowed to conduct vaccination for employees of all age groups and registration for the same is being done by the employers. The slots for vaccination for all is expected to improve in next few days, said State Health Department officials.

The officials added that government hospitals and vaccination sites are to initiate vaccination for all adults after more vaccine doses arrive. “We expect more consignments from the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech within this week. As of now, private hospitals have started opening slots depending on available slots. All government vaccination sites will commence as soon as more stocks arrive,” said a senior health official. “The registration has been opened and we will commence appointments soon to start the vaccination,” said Dr T S Selvavinayagam director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.