Kerala administered a record number of 4.5 lakh plus doses of COVID-19 vaccine—4,53,339 doses to be exact—on a single day on Saturday.
However, the State has just two lakh vaccine doses more in stock, including the small consignment of 38,860 doses of Covaxin it received on Saturday. This means that there will not be sufficient stock to meet Sunday’s vaccination requirement.
Unless the Centre despatched more stocks for the State immediately, vaccination drive in the State could be compromised, a statement issued by Health Minister Veena George said on Saturday.
Ms. George said that the allegations that the State was hoarding 10 lakh vaccine doses was thus falling flat. Kerala was distributing vaccines most efficiently and much better than the national average.
First dose
The State administered 100% first dose vaccines to healthcare workers and front line workers. This week alone, 16 lakh doses were administered to people.
On Saturday, 1,522 vaccination centres functioned, including 1,380 sites in the public sector and 142 sites in the private sector. Kannur district administered the maximum doses of 59,374, followed by Thrissur district (53,841) and Kottayam (51,276).
Kerala has so far administered 1,28,23,869 first doses and 55,66,104 second doses.
Population-wise, 38.39% has received the first dose and 16.66% the second dose in the state.
Above 18 years, 53.43% had received the first dose and 23.19%, the second dose, which was far ahead of the national average, the statement said.
