5.35% of Punjab vaccinated, Centre needs to ramp up Covid jabs: Minister

Only 5.35 per cent of Punjab's population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu blaming the Centre for not supplying sufficient doses of vaccines.

Punjab has been receiving less supply of vaccine, said Sidhu in an official statement here on Monday.

Presently, the figure of people having received both doses of vaccine in Punjab stands at just 5.35 per cent, Sidhu said while adding that he had urged the Centre many times to expedite the vaccine supply so that the state government can safeguard its population by vaccinating them with both doses.

Vaccine supply needs to be ramped up by the central government so that the entire population can be covered, he added.

Sidhu said Punjab has been able to vaccinate 94,79,351 people out of whom 77,16,433 have received the first dose and 17,62,918 have completed their vaccination with both doses.

On the fourth sero survey conducted by the ICMR in four districts of Punjab, the Health Minister said as per the results of the survey, 63.15 per cent of population had COVID antibodies and amongst the healthcare workers 83.25 per cent had antibodies.

Out of these four districts, Ludhiana had the maximum positivity of 71 per cent in the general population.

He said the health department is geared up to deal with a possible third wave of COVID-19.