No shortage of Covid-19 vaccines: Govt informs Lok Sabha

July 24: At a time, when posters outside numerous vaccination centres reads “Vaccine out of stock,” the Union Government has said that there is no shortage of vaccine. Asked whether the government is aware that many inoculation sites got closed down due to non-availability of vaccines there, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday, “There has been no shortage of vaccines and the Government of India has been providing free supply of vaccines to states and UTs for administration to prioritised beneficiaries as recommended by NEGVAC (National Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration against COVID-19).”

On whether the government is aware that less than 10 per cent of Indians have got single dose of Covid vaccine despite India being the world”s leading vaccine manufacturer, the minister said as of July 20, around 34.5 per cent of the estimated population aged 18 years and above has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

As of July 20, 2021, a total of 32.64 crore first doses and 8.55 crore second doses have been administered across the country. A total of 2.15 lakh COVID-19 Vaccination Centres have been operational across the country, Ms Pawar said.