Karnataka needs 1.5 crore vaccine doses monthly, CM B S Yediyurappa tells PM Modi

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “at least 1.5 crore” Covid-19 vaccine doses every month, underlining the severe shortage of jabs against the high demand.

Yediyurappa interacted with Modi during a video conference on the Covid-19 situation.

“Till now, 2.62 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the state. The chief minister requested five lakh doses every day, which is 1.5 crore doses a month,” a statement from Yediyurappa’s office said.

Over the last two weeks, the state has administered about 2.56 lakh doses on average daily, according to official statistics. For the month of July, Karnataka is supposed to receive 59.98 lakh vaccine doses - 49.77 lakh Covishield and 10.20 lakh Covaxin.

To face the feared third wave of Covid-19, Yediyurappa asked Modi to not only increase the supply of vaccine doses but also give the state 800 neonatal and paediatric ventilators under the PM-CARES fund.

“It was also requested to allocate 40 PSI oxygen generation units for taluk hospitals and decentralize the distribution of liquid medical oxygen. And, Amphotericin-B for mucormycosis and IVIG for children were requested,” the statement said.

During the video conference, Modi cautioned states to not let their guards down with cases rapidly rising in Europe and suggested ramping up health infrastructure.

Yediyurappa told him that Covid-19 cases had dropped in Karnataka, with daily numbers as low as 1,900 throughout the state and 400 in Bengaluru. The positivity rate stands at 1.42% and the fatality rate is 1.25%, Yediyurappa said according to the statement.

The CM also said the state was getting ready to face the third wave. “We are increasing oxygenated beds and paediatric ICUs in all healthcare institutions. Doctors, staff nurses and lab technicians are being provided. Also, the equipment necessary for Covid-19 treatment has been sufficiently procured. New RT-PCR and genome sequencing labs are being set up,” Yediyurappa said.

The CM also told the meeting that deputy commissioners were given full authority to impose restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. Instructions have been issued to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour is followed, he said.