Delhi halts COVID-19 vaccination for 18 plus group as stocks run out

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that the vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group has been halted because the national capital has exhausted its allocated share of the doses. He added that following this all vaccination centres have been shut.

Addressing the media, CM Kejriwal said, "Only a few vaccines are available at some centres which will be administered today." He further stated that Delhi reported around 2,200 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, and the positivity rate has also dipped below 3.5%.

He further stated that Delhi would need 80 lakh COVID-19 doses to vaccinate its entire population and the Centre must, without delay, purchase jabs from foreign countries to supply to the states.

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"The Centre should buy Covid-19 vaccines from foreign countries within 24 hours and distribute these among states," said Kejriwal. He noted that several nations have stockpiled more vaccines than what they need and the Centre should urge them to hand over those jabs to India.

Kejriwal also said that foreign companies should be permitted to manufacture vaccines in India, and also suggested that the Centre should direct other companies to produce vaccine doses, just as Bharat Biotech has agreed to share its COVID-19 jab Covaxin's formula with other firms.

AAP MLA Atishi said on Friday that in the last one week, Delhi has already shut 235 of the 368 inoculation centres for this category due to a shortage of vaccines. "The remaining 133 sites will (also) be shut on Saturday, which means the inoculation drive for this age group will have to be stopped temporarily from Monday," she added.

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