Tiruchi district on Sunday received a consignment of 3,000 Covaxin doses that could considerably address the problem of shortage in the region. The office of the Deputy Director of Health Services has distributed 2,000 dosages for usage on Monday, while the remaining 1,000 has been reserved.
As the Tiruchi regional vaccine storage unit had run out of Covaxin doses on Friday, authorities had been turning away patients who had come to receive the second dose and administering Covishield to all who had visited the vaccination centre to get the first shot.
However, following intervention from the Directorate of Public Health, vaccines were restocked at many regions in the State where a shortage was reported.
Of the 2,000 distributed doses, 1,000 was handed over to the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, and 100 to the Manapparai Government Hospital. Of the remaining 900, as many as 800 dosages were distributed among urban primary healthcare centres and private hospitals in the district, while 100 was distributed in the rural parts. “We will be able to utilise this for the next couple of days at least, and including the reserved stock, we should be able to manage for at least four to five days, if not more,” a senior health official in the district said.
A consignment of Covishield too, is expected; the existing vaccine stock would last until midweek, the official added.
Meanwhile, at the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, additional arrangements are being made in view of the increase in the number of cases reported.
“An additional ward, with extra bedding, and toilet facilities is being arranged. It will be ready to accommodate patients in the upcoming days,” a hospital source said.
