The ‘Tika Utsav’, scheduled to begin across the country on Sunday, was cancelled in Visakhapatnam district as the vaccine stock was exhausted. The initial apathy of the people to get the jab, has turned into one of urgency, amid the surging second wave.
This could have contributed, to some extent, in the vaccine running out too soon. Those who have had their first shot a month or more ago are now worried whether they will be able to take the second dose on time. A senior citizen of Marripalem VUDA Colony, who had his first dose at a private hospital near NAD Junction, was asked to wait for a couple of days.
Two weeks ago, a resident of Muralinagar, who went to a private hospital near Simhachalam, was politely told that they had run out of stock and fresh supply had to be sourced from the district authorities. He was asked to come after a couple of days. It is a different matter that the hospital procured vaccines subsequently.
A resident of Official Colony near KGH took the first dose a month ago at a private hospital near the colony. He approached the hospital on Saturday for the second dose but was told there was no stock. He is worried whether he will be able to take the second dose in the stipulated time.
P.V. Sudhakar, COVID-19 Special Officer for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts, and P. Suryanarayana, DM & HO, have confirmed that the vaccine stocks in the district have been exhausted, when contacted by The Hindu on Sunday.
“There is no compulsion that a person, who has taken the first shot at a particular hospital, should take the second one at the same place,” he said..
