In a bid to administer the COVID vaccine to maximumpeople across the State, Captain Amarinder Singh led Punjab Government onSaturday launched the 'Mega Vaccination Drive' under which 5.5 lacs personscovered in a day and data is still being compiled.
Giving details in the press statement, the HealthMinister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that the Punjab Government first timereceived the quantity of 6,84,240 doses of Covieshield and 61,100 of Covaxin inone installment on the late evening of July 1st. He said that after receivingthe vaccines, the Punjab Government has made the road map of ‘Mega VaccinationDrive’ to cover a minimum of 5 lacs, persons, in one day.
Sharing the district-wise data of vaccination, Mr. Sidhusaid that Ludhiana led all districts by administering 82667 vaccination topeople which is followed by Hoshiarpur 77930 and Jalandhar covered morethan 62000 persons.
Pointing out the disparity while supplying the vaccinesamong States, the Health Minister said that Punjab State has been receivingless supply of doses in comparison to the neighboring State like Haryana andRajasthan where the vaccination drive is in full swing. However, Punjab isrunning short of vaccines for consecutively three days and due to disparity insupply, some of the Covid Vaccination Centres were remained closed adding thathe divulged the vaccination coverage of Punjab came down to just 16,000-17,000from 27th June to 2nd July and it is swiftly moved up to 5 lacs after gettingsufficient quantity of doses.
Divulging about the supply of vaccines in last week, HealthMinister said that Punjab Government received only 79,550 doses of Covishieldon June 24, 79,540 doses on June 25, and 31,580 doses of Covaxin on June 29. Thestock of Covishield remained almost nil from June 27 to July 1 which slow downthe vaccination drive. The number of COVID vaccination has been decreased from1,14,655 on June 22, to 17,704 on July 1 in the state.
Expressing concern over the third wave affecting lives ofpeople, Mr. Sidhu said that Punjab Government has been preparing itself to copeup with any emergency arises, but less supply of vaccination from GoI ishitting hard to the immunization drive.
Also Read:Ludhiana tops vaccination drive in Punjab by administering highest ever 82677 doses in single day
Principal Secretary Health Mr. Hussan Lal said that thespread of the delta plus virus among countries is a matter of concern forPunjab Government as studies revealed that a person administered with the twodoses of vaccine experience fewer effects whereas a person with noimmunization history tends to affect badly.
Experts from the medical fraternity opine that a second dose ofvaccine fortifies people from dangerous variants, considering the spread ofdelta virus in Britain and European countries it becomes important to bringpeople in the ambit of vaccination he added.
Principal Secretary Health informed that 2 cases of deltavariant surfaced in Patiala and Ludhiana district and properly recovered, ifthe situation becomes worsen in coming days it will put an extra burden onhealth facilities and the only way out is to vaccinate maximum people with COVIDvaccine.
Mr. Hussan Lal said that a total of 78,33, 665 doses administered COVID vaccination in Punjab so far from which 66,60, 035covered with the first dose and 11,73,630 with the second dose.