Tamil Nadu suspends vaccination from June 2-5 as stocks run out

"The Union government was supposed to provide over 1.75 lakh vaccines but they have not done so yet,” Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, adding that new vaccine stock will come only by June 6.
A box containing vials of Covishield COVID-19 vaccine
A box containing vials of Covishield COVID-19 vaccine
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The vaccination drive in Tamil Nadu was to be suspended from June 2 to June 5, 2021 as stocks ran out on Tuesday, June 1. The state government had said it is expected to receive its vaccine consignment only by June 6. UPDATE: After the Tamil Nadu governement said it will have to suspend its vaccination drive, the Union governemnt sent 4.20 lakh doses of Covishield for vaccination of 45+ age category to the state. Read: After TN suspends vaccinations due to shortage, Union govt sends 4.20 lakh doses

Speaking to the media, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said, "The remaining vaccines will get over by today (Tuesday) evening. Till now, Tamil Nadu has received a consignment of 96.18 lakh vaccine doses and of this 89 lakh doses were 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)."

The state can resume its vaccination only after it receives its next consignment of doses, which is scheduled to arrive from Bharat Biotech by June 6 and from the Serum Institute of India by June 9. "The Union government was supposed to provide over 1.75 lakh vaccines but they have not given us yet. They have said that they will give vaccines for the sum we have already paid along with the consignment they have to deliver for this month. So, possibly from June 6 we will start distributing 42 lakh doses to the districts and restart the vaccination," he said.

Tamil Nadu was expected to receive 25 lakh vaccines from the Union government for vaccinating the 18-plus age group but got only 13 lakh doses, the Health Minister had said on Monday. Certain districts like Thanjavur and Tiruvarur have no vaccines, he said. “In addition to 13 lakh doses, the state had earlier obtained 83 lakh doses from the Union government. So far about 87 lakh people have been vaccinated till Sunday and there was a wastage during the vaccination drive in the first coronavirus wave,” he said. “The Union government was informed about the current situation and that fresh stocks were expected,” the Minister added.

As on Monday, about 89,32,852 people were given both the Covishield and Covaxin shots, a release from the Health Department said. They include 12,85,159 in the 18 to 44 years age group and 32,23,935 people in the 45-60 age group besides 8,29,288 healthcare workers, 10,40,680 frontline workers and 25,53,790 senior citizens.

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