BHOPAL: Covid vaccination in MP has slowed down drastically at a time when the second-dose lag is growing and the state is still struggling to achieve 100% first-dose coverage. Only 33,000 doses were administered in the state on Sunday – the lowest in at least two months. It’s a far cry from the record setting numbers of mega vax drives.
The state needs to vaccinate over 3 lakh people every day to meet CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s target of 100% full vaccination by year-end. But the last three days have been dismal. On Friday, 1.33 lakh doses were administered, which dropped to 93,000 on Saturday, and a third of that on Sunday. To put it in perspective, the previous two Sundays saw 2.3 lakh vaccinations each. The October 3 vax count is around 10% of what’s needed every day. Two districts – Khandwa and Sheopur – recorded zero vaccinations. Bhopal and Indore managed barely a thousand each. It’s as if the vax drive has run out of steam – if not vaccines. State officials deny there is any shortage of vaccines though Indore district ran out of stocks on Saturday and was banking on a 1 lakh shipment that evening.
Target missed but vac pace still slow
September 27 was the deadline fixed by the government for 100% first-dose coverage. Strangely, there was no surge in vaccination in the week ahead of deadline. There was no surprise when the target wasn’t met. In the five days since September 28, only 6 lakh 2nd doses have been given. Till September 28, 1.47 crore had been fully vaccinated. On October 3, it had risen to merely 1.53 crore. At least 3.5 lakh need to be vaccinated with 2nd dose every day if full vaccination target is to be met. Sources in the health department assure there is no shortage of the vaccine – in fact, some officials used the word ‘surplus’ – but they cannot explain the slowdown in vaccination.
