VACCINES AWAITED FOR THIRD PHASE INOCULATION

Even as the Uttar Pradesh government directed the district magistrates (DMs) and chief medical officers (CMOs) of 75 districts to prepare a work plan for the launch of the third phase of vaccination drive for all those above 18 years of age on May 1, the state health and family welfare department is eagerly awaiting the supply of the vaccine from the central government to set the drive rolling.

Additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad said Uttar Pradesh had placed order for the supply of one crore Covid vaccines to launch the third phase of vaccination drive for beneficiaries above 18 years. The launch of the vaccination drive for all on May 1 will depend on the supply of the vaccine.

The state government has placed order for 50 lakh vaccines with Hyderabad -based Bharat Biotech International Limited that manufactures Covaxin and 50 lakh doses with Pune-based company Serum Institute of India (SII) that manufactures Covishield. The third phase vaccination drive will be launched when the state government receives the vaccines before May

1. A health department officer said the vaccine manufacturers were under tremendous pressure to supply vaccine to various states for the launch of the third phase vaccination drive on May

1. The vaccine production had slowed down after US imposed sanction over the export of the raw material for vaccine. On Sunday, US lifted the embargo on the supply of the raw materials and AstraZeenca vaccine. The vaccine production was likely to pick up in the coming days, he said.

The second wave of the Covid19 pandemic had led to surge in coronavirus infection across the country. The experts and medical practitioners were recommending Covid vaccine for protection from the intensity of the infection. The states were vying with each other to get maximum consignments of vaccines for citizens. The Uttar Pradesh government was in contact with the central government and the manufacturers to get the 1 crore vaccine doses, he said.

The vaccination drive for people above 45 years was continuing . The state government had given 1.19 crore vaccine doses to the beneficiaries, while 98.83 lakh people had received first dose and 20.63 lakh the second dose till Monday, he said.