Covid vaccination pace slows down as most targets covered: Govt

The Covid vaccination pace has slowed down relatively as most of the target beneficiaries are already covered, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday

The first dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage of those aged 15 years and above is 95.5 per cent currently while the second dose coverage is 80.6 per cent and hence, the vaccination pace has slowed down relatively as most of the target beneficiaries are already covered, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on whether hospitals across the country have stocks of Covid vaccines that are facing expiry in the near future, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said the Centre closely monitors the vaccine stocks and their consumption in the states and Union territories so as to ensure their optimal utilisation and minimal wastage.

Supplies of the vaccines to the states are based on the demand from them, she said, adding that adequate vaccine doses are made available to the states to inoculate the remaining eligible beneficiaries with the first, the second and the precaution doses.

"The COVID-19 vaccine stock, which has not been utilised and nearing expiry, are usually taken up for redistribution by respective state government for their timely utilisation. States and UTs have also been advised to review programme coverage and vaccine wastage on a daily basis and redistribute the vaccine stock, if required, for their optimal utilisation even from private hospitals," Pawar said.

On whether easing the 60 years of age cut-off to be eligible for receiving the booster doses is on the government's agenda, she said the Centre has expanded the precaution dose to all beneficiaries aged 60 years and above, irrespective of whether they have comorbidities or not, only on March 16.

On whether there has been a slowdown in vaccination across the country as the infection rate and the number of cases seem to have ebbed, the minister said the first dose coverage of those aged 15 years and above is 95.5 per cent and the second dose coverage is 80.6 per cent and "hence, the pace of vaccination has slowed down relatively as most of the target beneficiaries are already covered".