We have not received any doses of Covaxin since April 25: TMC

THANE: More than 1.6 lakh people within the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) jurisdiction are awaiting their second dose of vaccination. The shortage of vaccines led to panic and crowding at vaccination centres.

So far, more than three lakh people have got vaccinated within Thane city. Among these, 2.3 lakh have taken the first dose while only 74,744 have taken the second dose.

The shortage of vaccines in the city has led to around 68.5 per cent people still waiting to receive the second dose of the vaccination. “We have received around 7,000 doses of Covishield vaccine on Wednesday morning and these have been administered as booster doses for the last two days. We have not received any doses of Covaxin since April 25,” said a senior officer from TMC.

For more than two weeks now, Thane city has not been conducting the first dose vaccination for those above 45 years. As there are very limited doses of the vaccine, people have started crowding outside the vaccination centres.

“We had people coming from

Pune as well to get vaccinated, hoping for a walk-in process on Thursday. But, we had strictly mentioned that even for those above 45 years, only those with prior appointment will be allowed. With lack of vaccination, we have only allowed those between 18 and 44 years to get vaccinated on Friday,” said Kailas Pawar, civil surgeon.

Brijbushan Singh, 65, a resident of Manpada, said, “I took Covaxin first dose on March 17. It has been a task to find a vaccination centre with availability of Covaxin. As soon as we came to know that the vaccine was available at the Civil Hospital, we decided to visit it. We have only been waiting until told to disperse. I have surpassed the time frame for Covaxin, yet haven’t received the booster dose.”

PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT A senior citizen inquires with police after not getting his second dose, outside Nursing Training Centre vaccination centre in Thane on Thursday.