Vaccines, beds: States face scarcity amid Covid-19 surge

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s assembly with Chief Ministers on managing the Covid-19 surge, a have a look at some states, their points with beds and vaccines, and their calls for of the Centre.
Odisha
Odisha solely has three days’ inventory left for vaccinations. It urged the Centre Wednesday to offer 15-20 lakh advance doses of Covishield. “As on April 6th, we have stock of 3,47,180 doses of Covishield and 1,36,820 doses of Covaxin vaccine with peripheral Cold Chain Points. Presently, there is NIL stock of Covishield vaccine in all Regional & District vaccine stores…,” stated a letter from the state Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Secretary. “We have closed 400 vaccination centres and the target is unattainable with the current shortage,” stated Bijay Panigrahi, Director, Health and Family Welfare division.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is looking at a scarcity of each beds and vaccines. With the state estimated to report round 60,000 new instances day by day for subsequent few days, a mattress scarcity may be 7-10 days away. The state is opening extra Covid care centres in rural areas and roping in non-public hospital beds. It can also be vaccinating greater than 4 lakh folks per day. But its shares (over 13 lakh doses) will final simply three days. Seeking recent provides, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope stated folks have needed to be turned away from numerous vaccination centres. On Wednesday, amid the scarcity, Tope additionally demanded the Centre permit vaccination of the 20-40 age group.
Punjab
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh stated Wednesday that at the least 2 lakh day by day doses needs to be administered in Punjab henceforth. “This will create a shortage for us. At this rate of 2 lakh per day, we have doses only to suffice two more days. We have already written to Centre seeking for 8 lakh doses more.” stated Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, Punjab’s nodal officer for Covid-19. The CM has sought that the vaccine needs to be allowed to these beneath 45.

Kerala
As of April 6, the state had 29,960 energetic instances, however solely 4,725 are in hospitals or remedy facilities. Health division sources stated Kerala has ample inventory of vaccine (15,49,570 doses) with the arrival of 9,51,500 doses of Covisheld on April 5.
Gujarat
Several hospitals in Ahmedabad are working at almost 80 per cent capability or extra, as of Wednesday morning. (Representational)
Gujarat has been seeing greater than 3,000 day by day recent instances since Monday. Across the state, 63 per cent of the beds devoted to Covid-19 are occupied, stated Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. Several hospitals in Ahmedabad are working at almost 80 per cent capability or extra, as of Wednesday morning. Gujarat immunisation officer Nayan Jani stated the state has a vaccine inventory of roughly 15 lakh throughout six regional shops and no particular request for extra vaccines has been made to the Centre.

Karnataka
With a surge in Covid 19 instances since March 29 there may be rising strain for hospital beds in Karnataka— particularly in Bengaluru. If instances proceed rising by 4,000-5,000 on a regular basis within the metropolis for a number of extra weeks, hospitals may get overwhelmed, say well being division officers. The Karnataka authorities has re-issued orders claiming 50 p.c of beds in non-public hospitals for government-referred sufferers. The state Health and Medical Education minister has appealed to the Centre to offer extra doses.

Rajasthan
Officials say that there are ample vaccine doses for the these aged 45 and above. But these folks account for about 25 per cent of the state’s inhabitants. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has appealed to the Prime Minister to take away the vaccine age bar.