Amid an acute shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, the Delhi health department on Sunday directed authorities to reserve 20 per cent of Covishield doses and 40 per cent of Covaxin doses as first shots, officials said adding that the rest of the city’s vaccine stock will be administered as second shots.
According to officials, this is a temporary set up, meant to ensure that those are scheduled for their second dose of the vaccine receive it on time. This set up will be in place till the vaccine supply situation improves in the national capital.
These developments come in the backdrop of the Delhi health department administering 1,01,04,760 Covid-19 vaccines till Sunday. Of these, 26,71,681 vaccines were administered as second doses.
"We have issued fresh orders today (Sunday). The first and second dose of Covishield and Covaxin will now be administered in 20:80 and 40:60 ratio, respectively, at government centres" the official said.
The Delhi government had on July 22 ordered that only the second dose of Covishield vaccine will be administered at government inoculation centres till July 31 due to limited supply.
Also, only 20 per cent of the Covaxin stock was being used for the first dose due to its "irregular delivery cycles''.
According to government data, 42,98,825 women have received at least one dose of Covid vaccines, while 58,03,764 men have been inoculated with at least one jab.
Over 76.40 lakh doses of Covishield have been administered while 24,27,311 doses of Covaxin have been given till now.
As on Sunday morning, the national capital had 4,76,610 doses of Covishield. It received 1,18,490 doses of Covaxin Saturday, taking the total number of doses available to 3,65,130.
(With PTI inputs)
