After TN suspends vaccinations due to shortage, Union govt sends 4.20 lakh doses

On Tuesday morning, the vaccination drive in Tamil Nadu was suspended from June 2 to June 5 as stocks were set to run out on June 1. The government had expected to receive its consignment of vaccines only by June 6.
Vaccine
Vaccine
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Hours after the Tamil Nadu government noted that the state vaccination drive would be suspended due to a shortage of vaccines, about 4.20 lakh doses of Covishield for those above the age of 45 were sent by the Union government to the state. At around 5.30 pm from Pune, 4,20,750 Covishield doses were received in the state, the Tamil Nadu Health Department stated. The vaccines will be stocked at the DMS campus before being distributed to the districts.

On Tuesday morning, the vaccination drive in Tamil Nadu was suspended from June 2 to June 5 as stocks were set to run out on June 1. The government had expected to receive its consignment of vaccines only by June 6.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian had stated that TN had received about 96.18 lakh doses, and 89 lakh had been administered already. “The remaining vaccine doses will be over by today. So, we cannot administer for the next four days (on June 2, 3, 4 and 5).”

However, the new consignment received by the state on Tuesday means that the vaccination drive for those about the age of 45 will be able to continue. Earlier, the consignment from Bharati Biotech was scheduled to reach only on June 6 and the consignment from the Serum Institute of India by June 9.

TNM previously reported that Tamil Nadu was supposed to receive 25 lakh doses from the Union government for the over-18 age group but only received about 13 lakh vaccines. Other districts, such as Thanjavur and Tiruvarur, do not have any availability of vaccines.

A release from the state government on Monday noted that about 89,32,852 people had been given both Covishield and Covaxin shots, with about 12,85,159 in the 18-44 group and 32,23,935 in 45 to 60 years. In addition, 8,29,288 health care workers and 10,40,680 frontline workers have received the vaccine, along with 25,53,790 senior citizens.

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