Delhi govt urges Centre to supply jabs for 18+ group

■ Vaccination for 18-44 age group suspended for 10th day

Of the 8,17,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses given to Delhi for the 18-44 age group, 8,15,000 have been used, AAP MLA Atishi said on Wednesday, while urging the Centre to send vaccines for Delhiites at the earliest.

It has been 10 days since the city government stopped administering vaccines to beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group. The Centre has said it would provide vaccine doses for the said age group on June 10.

“The unavailability of vaccines is a matter of concern for the youngsters of the city, also because all those who got vaccinated in May are now eligible for the second dose .... Since there is no vaccine available for them at any government-run vaccination centre, the only option for them is to go to a private hospital,” Atishi said.

“Many people are getting themselves vaccinated at private hospitals out of choice and that too for exorbitant prices. I would appeal to the Centre to provide us with vaccines for the youngsters at the earliest so that we can vaccinate the population of Delhi at a high speed,” she said.

A total of 50,382 people aged above 45 years were vaccinated against the viral disease in the national capital on Monday. Of them, 33,488 received the first dose and 16,894 the second dose, the Kalkaji MLA said.

Delhi received 50 lakh vaccine doses for those aged above 45 years, of which almost 46 lakh doses have been used till date, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.

The city currently has a total stock of 4,12,000 Covid vaccine doses — 3,82,000 Covishield doses and 30,000 Covaxin doses.

“The present stock would last for 18 days,” Atishi said.

So far, 54,60,010 people, including over 42 lakh who have received only the first dose, have been vaccinated against the viral disease in Delhi.

“About 12,41,000 people have been administered both the doses,” the lawmaker said.

Delhi recorded 576 Covid19 cases, lowest since March 17, at a positivity rate of 0.78 per cent and 103 more fatalities due to the disease on Wednesday.

This is the third consecutive day that the positivity rate was recorded at below one per cent in the national capital. For the last three days, the death toll in a single day had remained below 100. The fresh cases recorded on Wednesday are the lowest since March 17, when 536 people had tested positive for the virus.

Delhi reported 623 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest in two-and-ahalf months, and 62 more deaths, while the positivity rate was below one per cent. The city reported 648 Covid-19 cases and 86 more fatalities on Monday, while the positivity rate was 0.99 per cent. On Sunday, 946 new cases and 78 more deaths were reported in the national capital.

As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the country, Delhi began witnessing a rise in the number of daily cases and deaths from April 19. It reported the highest single-day spike of 448 deaths on May 3. However, there is a declining trend in the number of cases and deaths over the last several days. According to the health bulletin, 1,287 people have recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours.