Hundreds miss second dose as stocks out in Kashmir

Srinagar: Hundreds of beneficiaries above the age of 45, who had registered for vaccinations were turned away from health centres and hospitals in the Kashmir Valley on Thursday because of a shortage of vaccines.

The number of COVID cases meanwhile continued to rise in the UT. An official said 3,474 people tested positive in the past 24 hours and 26 people had died due to the infection. The active cases in J&K have swelled to over 26,000.

“After being turned away from three COVID-19 vaccination centres because of shortage of vaccines, me and my wife managed a jab in Ompora Budgam (central Kashmir). It was my second dose,” former J&K commissioner secretary Farooq Peer said.

Many health centres in Sringar put up boards reading “vaccines out of stock”.

“I was told it will take another five days to get fresh stock,” said Nazneen Rashid, a resident of Hazratbal.

An official, on the condition of anonymity, told The Hindu that the vaccine stocks started depleting on Wednesday. The last batch of around 8,000 were administered in the past 24 hours, he added.

A doctor said the Gousia Hospital administration sought help from the police to control the people who had lined up for the vaccine and were upset at being turned away despite waiting for several hours.

Officials said the programme to vaccinate people above the age of 18 year from May 1 will also be delayed as the J&K government will only get its first batch of vaccines by May 20.

No need to panic: L-G

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha meanwhile on Thursday said people of J&K “need not panic” over the second wave and vaccinations.

“We are equipped to deal with the emerging situation. One crore twenty lakh doses are ordered for vaccination of the 18 to 45 age group,” Mr. Sinha said.

He said J&K generates 54,500 cubic metres of oxygen against the present consumption of 25,000 cubic metres.

Earlier, Mr. Sinha announced that the UT government will provide vaccines free of cost for all those between the 18-45 during the Phase-3 of the vaccination drive. The UT plans to vaccinate 65 lakh people in the 18-45 age group from next month.

Baseer Ahmed Khan, advisor to J&K Lieutenant Governor, in a late night press conference, said, “The administration has sufficient stocks of oxygen and Remedisivir to meet the demand. The medicine is being provided to the places wherever needed. Also, J&K has placed an order of 1.25 crore vaccines. It has already been dispatched.”

He also said Tocilizumab, a drug used for severe coronavirus patients which is out of stock in Valley hospitals, will arrive on Friday. “Distribution will be done as per the need,” he added. (The Hindu)