States to receive nearly 5 mn Covid vaccine doses in next 3 days: Centre

More than 18.4 mn Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs, while nearly 5.1 million doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days

More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs, while nearly 51 lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The Centre has so far provided more than 20 crore vaccine doses (20,28,09,250) to states and UTs free of cost, it said.

Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on average up to May 14, including wastages, is 18,43,67,772 doses, according to data available at 7 pm on Saturday.

"More than 1.84 crore COVID vaccine doses (1,84,41,478) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. States with negative balance are showing more consumption (including wastage) than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to Armed Forces," the ministry said.

It said 50,95,640 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by states and UTs within the next three days.

Vaccination forms an integral component of the comprehensive strategy of Government of India of containment and management of the pandemic (including Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour).

The Centre has been supporting the nationwide vaccination drive by providing COVID vaccines free of cost to states and UTs, in addition to several efforts to ramp up its production and supply, the ministry stated.

Implementation of the Liberalized and Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy of COVID-19 Vaccination has started from May 1 as part of which the government has opened up inoculation for all aged above 18.

Under the Strategy, every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the Centre. It would continue to make these doses available to state governments free of cost as was being done earlier.