Shortage of Covaxin hits vaccination of 15-17-year-olds in Bengaluru

Supplies of the Covid vaccine for 15-17-year-olds are running low across Bengaluru, less than two months after the drive to inoculate adolescents was launched.

In the BBMP's Dasarahalli Zone, there's been no stock of Covaxin for three days now. Supplies are fast running out in other zones, too. The stocks aren't available in many hospitals either.

Until now, Covaxin was the only Covid vaccine available for 15-17-years-olds in India. Corbevax, developed for 12-18-years-old, received emergency use authorisation only on Monday.

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The vaccination for adolescents was launched in Bengaluru on January 3 with the BBMP aiming to inoculate 4.41 lakh beneficiaries. As per CoWIN data, 4,38,534 doses were administered until 7 pm, February 21. Of them, 3.6 lakh are first doses and the rest second doses.

Covaxin is administered in two doses 28 days apart. The shortages are affecting the second dosage, officials said.

In Dasarahalli, Covaxin stocks aren't available at any of the seven primary health centres (PHCs) where the vaccination was taking place. The PHCs are located in Nela Maheshwari, Abbigere, Mallasandra, Hegganahalli, Chikkanahalli, Rajagopal Nagar and Bagalagunte.

"Despite notifying the authorities, we haven’t received fresh stocks," said Dr Soundarya, the nodal officer for vaccination in Dasarahalli Zone.

The zone is yet to vaccinate 2,000 adolescents out of its target of 19,000. "Since we don’t have stocks, we have kept the second dose on hold," she said.

Sources said doses weren't available in Kengeri and BGS Global Hospital, too.

"There are no Covaxin stocks anywhere," said Dr H M Prasanna, president of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes' Association. No private hospital wants to stock up given the past experience when they struggled to get the expired stock relabelled, he added.

The BBMP is distributing whatever "we are getting from the union government," said Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health). "There has been some lag in the supply."

The BBMP received the last supply four to five days ago and then 50,000 doses on Monday. "That's usually the frequency," he said.

BBMP Chief Health Officer Dr AS Balasundar said the stocks arrived every three to four days. As for Dasarahalli, he said the zonal authorities notified them on Sunday and were asked to wait because the stock cannot be moved laterally. "Currently, the first dose is our priority,” he added.

Health Commissioner D Randeep said there were no logistical issues at the state's end. "We supply as and when we get the stock from the Centre." On February 20 and 21, Karnataka received five lakh doses at state vaccine stores in Bengaluru and Belagavi. "The allocation has been done. Districts will collect," he added.

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