KOLKATA: Several private hospitals in Kolkata are deferring their vaccine requisition for August as most are left with enough stock to last a fortnight or more. Even as queues keep getting longer at government-run CVCs, the number of recipients has dropped by almost 40%-50% across Kolkata’s private hospitals over the last week. The latter had seen a consistent rush since the onset of the second wave in April. While some hospitals have seen a marginal rise in the number of Covid admissions, it has so far been an inconsistent trend, they said.
While three units of AMRI administered nearly 1,800 doses a day till the third week of July, it’s now down to 1,000. AMRI CEO Rupak Barua said, “The government has been operating more CVCs where vaccines are available free and, with the Covid numbers sliding, many are deferring their first dose.” He added the hospital has around 10 days’ stock, which may last longer due to the reduced demand. “We may requisition a smaller number this time, depending on the demand over the next week,” he said.
Peerless Hospital saw its number of recipients drop to 288 on Monday from 598 last Saturday. “The rush has now shifted to government-run CVCs where inoculation is free,” said CEO Sudipta Mitra, adding that numbers may not pick up till it’s time for a second dose for the 18-44 age group, which may not happen before September-October. “So, we may stagger our requisition,” he said.
“In the last few days, the numbers have come down to 600 per day from 1,000, a 40% drop. With more government-run centres opening up, the load has been distributed,” said RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences zonal head R Venkatesh.
At CMRI Hospital, the number of recipients has been restricted to 80-90 a day over the last week though the hospital can inoculate more than 250. “With government CVCs offering free jabs, the crowd has been diverted,” said CMRI COO Simmardeep Gill. P Tondon, CEO of Belle Vue Clinic, said they have seen a drop in jabs from 500 per day till last week to around 250 this week. “We did 2,000 vaccinations per day in June whereas we are doing 1,200 a day in July,” said Woodlands Hospital MD Rupali Basu.
Queues may lengthen around late-August when it’s time for a second dose for the below-45 group, felt Barua.
Some, like Peerless, have seen a rise in Covid patients this week. It now has 17 admitted while it was just five last week. At AMRI, 22 are admitted across its three units.
