Lakhimpur district faces shortage of COVID-19 vaccine

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: With the Coronavirus infection spiralling across the country, Lakhimpur district is faced with the shortage of vaccine with existing stock at present along with several districts of the State. As a consequence, the vaccination drive, which had been going on in the district since January 16, came to a halt from Friday.

In this regard, District Immunization Officer (DIO) Dr. Gunin Kumar Gogoi, when asked, informed The Sentinel that the stock of Covishield had already exhausted in the district on Friday while only 2,900 doses (290 vials) of Covaxin were available. Under such circumstances, no fresh beneficiaries could get shot of the vaccine and they had to go back home without being vaccinated on Saturday. The available stock of Covaxin is used to administer to the beneficiaries as a second dose of the vaccine. On Saturday, the beneficiaries of the district were administered only the Covaxin as second dose.

On the other hand, a total of 35,346 people across Lakhimpur were vaccinated till April 9 during the COVID-19 vaccination drive which has been underway in the district along with the nation following the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) since January 16. Out of them, 34,026 people got shot of Covishield vaccine while 1,320 people were vaccinated with Covaxin.

The Healthcare workers, front line warriors, police personnel and home guards, persons with comorbodities, people above 45 and 60 years of age were included among those who were vaccinated till the day.

According to the information found from the DIO, a total of 6631 health care workers, 7,704 front line warriors, 927 police personnel and home guards, 7,189 persons above 45 years and 12,895 persons above 60 years of age were vaccinated till April 9.

On the other hand, out of these beneficiaries, 2,839 persons got shot of Covishield as second dose of the vaccine while 484 persons got shot of Covaxin as second dose in the past days. The beneficiaries of the district who are due for the second dose of Covishield in the upcoming days, will certainly face problems unless the vials of the Covishield vaccine are provided at the earliest.

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