Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Apr 29: With the fear of a shortage of anti-Covid vaccine doses probably weighing on their minds, people made a beeline to take the jab outside the multispecialty hospital at Wenlock on Thursday April 29.

The vaccination centers in the district saw a huge turnout, as the number of positive cases are increasing throughout the state. The district administration, in the initial days, used to sensitize the public to take the jabs. But now, as the cases are spiking, people in their own interest are coming forward to take the jab.

People made a queue to get vaccinated early morning here. There was exchange of words among the public and the staff in the hospital, as the public were informed that only Covishield vaccine is available and there is no Covaxin and only to those people who already registered online for the second dose will be vaccinated.

According to the sources in the district hospital, it is said that the district has not received the supply of Covaxin. Now in the district, only Covishield vaccines are available. As the supply of vaccine is limited, the demand for the vaccine has increased. There is a variation in the supply and demand and therefore there are no sufficient doses of vaccine in the district. Earlier, when there were sufficient number of doses, people never bothered to take the vaccines. But now, due to panic, more people are coming forward to receive the jab.

Vaccination programme officer Dr Rajesh said, "As of now, we have 7,000 doses of Covid vaccine. As many as 12,000 doses are on the way to the district from Bengaluru. On April 27, we had received 15,000 doses. As there is variation in the demand and supply, as of now, we are vaccinating only those who have taken the first dose. Otherwise, it will go waste. Hence, we are trying to complete the second dose for the people. In the coming days, as vaccines will be available, we will start administering the first dose of vaccines.”

Speaking to daijiworld, deputy commissioner Dr Rajendra K V said, "As we have limited stock, we are managing the situation with a proper plan. Hence, we have also denied on-the-spot registration. Thereby, people who have taken the first dose, will receive their second one. That way, we can fully immunize many people. It is the plan to utilize the stock efficiently, as the vaccines are intermittently supplied. From the district administration, we have also requested the government to supply sufficient doses of vaccine."