Andhra: COVID vaccination process slowed down after Sunday's special drive

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 22 (ANI): After a special vaccination drive held in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, the state is running low on COVID-19 vaccine doses which has led to the slowing down in vaccination drive, officials said.

On Sunday, 13.72 lakh vaccines were administered all over the state, out of 14 lakh vaccines doses available in Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, 1.36 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Sunday. However, the vaccination pace has slowed post the mega vaccination drive since stocks have been exhausted, informed Mahesh Yarlagadda, medical officer at Labbipet Urban Primary Health Centre.

At this centre, only second dose beneficiaries of Covaxin, aged 45 years and above, are being inoculated . For Tuesday, only 200 vaccine doses are available at the centre.

"We have been conducting vaccination of eligible beneficiaries since past five months. Last Sunday we have conducted mega vaccination drive in this area, along with other centres, and achieved our target of 1.36 lakh vaccines in Krishna district. Today, we are continuing the vaccination. Now we are vaccinating with Covaxin second dose in this centre. After mega vaccination drive we have are exhausted of all our vaccines. After Sunday, we have been getting 200 to 300 doses per centre. People can register online or register on the spot. Today, we are planning to give 150 to 200 vaccines," said the medical officer.

A beneficiary at the centre, Harikrishna, who is a resident of Yanamala Kuduru village, said, "I came here to get the second dose of vaccine. I got the first jab of Covaxin on May 21. I registered on the CoWIN app and came here to get the vaccine. The staff here is very cooperative and the vaccination process is being carried out smoothly."

Due to the shortage of vaccine doses in the state, Padmaja who lives in Patamata area of Vijayawada, told ANI that she thought of inoculating Covishield for her second dose instead of Covaxin, which she had taken earlier.

"I got my first dose more than a month. Today I got second dose of Covaxin. In fact, I thought of getting Covishield as second dose as Covaxin availability was less. But doctors explained me not to do so. Thus, today I got second dose of Covaxin. Now everything is alright and I am completely vaccinated," she said.

Active cases in the state have decreased to 53,880. On Tuesday, the state reported 4,169 new COVID-19 cases, 8,376 recoveries, and 53 deaths over 24 hours. (ANI)