No Covaxin for first dose at Karnataka government vaccine centres – ET HealthWorld

Given the supply trickle, the state health and family welfare department decided to ensure that those due for the second dose be catered to first. A circular was issued by the state government on July 31 and it has come into effect from August 1. Many states have suspended giving Covaxin for the first dose since the last week of July due to shortage. “Currently, only second dose of Covaxin will be provided at government centres,” said Dr Arundhathi Chandrashekar, mission director, National health mission, Karnataka.

Administration of Covaxin as the first dose will resume as and when the supply situation stabilises, say authorities. Data from health and family welfare department shows about 6.1 lakh people took the first dose of Covaxin over four weeks ago and have not yet come forward to take the second dose so far. “We need to administer the second dose to all who are due,” said Chandrashekar.

The state currently has about 22,000 doses of Covaxin at its buffer storage facility in Bengaluru and another 1.5 lakh doses have been already supplied to all districts, including BBMP. The health department has directed authorities that the emphasis should be on giving existing Covaxin recipients the second shot and fully vaccinating them. It also said awareness should be created among recipients to turn up for the second shot as and when it becomes due, without delay.

Covaxin continues to be available for the first dose in private hospitals. The cost of one dose of Covaxin in private vaccination centres is Rs 1,410.

Covishield first dose available:

Covishield continues to be available for the first dose at all government vaccination centres. The districts, however, have been directed to reserve a part their allocation exclusively for the second dose, reads the circular, a copy of which is with TOI.

On May 7, the health department had suspended the administration of first dose of both Covishield and Covaxin at government centres due to shortage of vaccines and said the entire supply would to be used for the second dose. By May-end, as supplies were streamlined, the department started administering both first and second doses.

“Between Covishield and Covaxin, many prefer Covaxin because both doses will get over in four weeks,” said a district health officer. “We do tell them that both vaccines are effective. But the spacing of 84 days between the two doses for Covishield is pushing many to take Covaxin.”