Mumbai: Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy CM said that the state had planned a big Covid-19 vaccination event for Saturday to vaccinate people between 18-44 years of age.
Pawar said, “We received only 3 lakh doses for today. Out of that 20,000 have been given to Pune district. Today, we don’t have vaccine stock to vaccinate people aged 45 and above hence vaccination centres in Pune district were closed”.
From Saturday, the third phase of the vaccination drive has started in the country. Amid lack of vaccine supplies, several states have postponed the vaccination drive for those between 18-45 years.
Pawar further added, “We had taken a decision in a cabinet meeting that people aged 18 to 44 years will start getting vaccinated from May 1. 5.71 crore people are there in this age category in Maharashtra and we have to vaccinate around 12 crore people. 6.5 crore vaccine doses were supposed to be purchased and we had approved that purchase. The state finance department is ready to clear the payment in one go”.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India had told the Maharashtra CM that it is much difficult to arrange vaccines in such large amounts. The Deputy CM said, “We are trying to get the central government’s permission for importing vaccines from other countries. The first lot of vaccines from Russia will be received today but its price is not yet clear”.