JOIN US40% drop in single-day Covid-19 vaccinations after record 88 lakh shots
India on Tuesday administered around 53 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines – nearly 40% drop from Monday’s record-breaking 88 lakh inoculations – with experts pointing out that sustaining such a high level of vaccination would depend on supplies, states' collaboration, and public enthusiasm.
Till 9 pm, the government dashboard on Covid-19 vaccination showed that close to 53 lakh shots were given as against the 88.09 lakh recorded a day before.
“It is impossible to sustain such a scale (as seen on Monday) given our current production capacity in the immediate term. It may last for a day or two until the existing supply and the accumulated inventory dries up. The expected daily supply is less than 40 lakh during June/July,” health economist Rijo John, a visiting professor at Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode told DH.
Madhya Pradesh that administered 17.14 lakh doses on June 21, managed to vaccinate only 4,800 plus individuals on Tuesday, giving credence to critics, who described Monday’s show as an “image-booster” for the Modi government.
Similarly, Karnataka with 11.38 lakh vaccinations on Monday, administered 3.78 lakh shots a day later. While Uttar Pradesh maintained a similar level, Bihar (from 5.75 lakh to 2.62 lakhs) and Haryana (5.15 lakh to 75,000 plus) are among the states with a clear drop in vaccination numbers.
“Vaccination cannot be seen as a one-day fixture. Clearly, yesterday was a pre-planned, image-booster. Today we have not sustained that level. We simply have to sustain at least 80 lakhs a day for the next four-five months,” tweeted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
Vaccination cannot be seen like a one-day fixture. Clearly, yesterday was a pre-planned, image-booster. Today we have not sustained that level. We simply have to sustain at least 80 lakhs a day for the next four-five months.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 22, 2021
Health officials, on the other hand, asserted that record-breaking vaccination on June 21 was not a "sudden episode" but a planned exercise that was executed with support from the states.
“It is well beyond our expectations. The daily average vaccination between June 1-21 was 34.66 lakhs from where it rose because of coordinated planning with the states,” said VK Paul, NITI Ayog member and one of the principal advisors of the government on Covid-19. The Centre has a target of administering one crore doses once the supply situation improves.
Nearly 64% of Monday’s vaccination happened in the rural areas and the trend would continue for the next eight days, said Bhushan.
Asked whether the elderly citizens, who were confined inside the four walls of their houses since last year can now go out or socialise, Paul said fully vaccinated senior citizens could go out for walks or socialise keeping the social distancing rules in mind, but they should not visit crowded markets.
However, there is no decision on school reopening as large gatherings provide the virus with an opportunity to spread. “We can take the risk only when we are better protected,” added Paul.
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