NEW DELHI, May 24:  At a time when vaccines are necessary to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, people between 18-44 age groups in Delhi will not be administered vaccines at any government-run centres on Monday as the administration claimed no stock left for youth.

Since the first week of May, the Delhi government had set up vaccination centres for 18-44 age groups and around 400 centres were opened at government-run schools across the capital, but they are closed now. However, vaccination drives for 45 and above age groups which were already operational at hospitals and other healthcare centres though have been extended with the idea of ‘walk-in vaccination’ at government-run schools.

Delhi has been raising alarms time and again regarding shortage of vaccines and knocking every possible door to get jabs for the citizens. Covaxin, which is manufactured by Bharat Biotech, was out of stock for 18-44 age groups for the last two weeks and now Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) too have gone out of stock now.

Over 300 vaccination centers to administer vaccines for 18-44 age groups remained shut on Monday as no stock was left for this age group, however, walk-in vaccination drive for 45 and above ages groups was continued.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal repeated word vaccines three times, as SOS call for vaccines for Delhi. “Vaccinate, Vaccinate, Vaccinate,” Kejriwal wrote on his Twitter handle in reply to a tweet by Jai Kotak, AVP at Kotak Mahindra Bank on Monday.

As per the Delhi government, a total of 64,240 people were vaccinated on Saturday, of which 44,676 received their first dose and 19,538 their second. Over 50 lakh doses of vaccines were administered in Delhi so far, and 11,51,356 people have been fully vaccinated after receiving both shots.

“No one knows how many more Covid waves will come till then, how many more people will die. I request the Centre to ensure the delivery of the required number of vaccine doses to Delhi,” Kejriwal had said on Sunday.
IANS