States with Covid vaccine stocks can continue free booster drive

Pune: States and UTs with Covid-19 vaccine stocks allocated under the Centre’s “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” campaign has been allowed to extend the special vaccination drive until their stocks are utilised.

NK Arora, chairman of the Covid working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, said, “States have been asked to utilise the allocated vaccine doses that have remained unused after the September 30 deadline. That means, in such states, people in the 18-59 age bracket can still have a free precaution dose at government-run sites.”

The move can help avert wastage as a huge chunk of stock in the government supply chain is set to expire by December end and early 2023.

The drive began on July 15 and concluded on September 30. At the start of the drive on July 15, 8% of the eligible population aged 18 years and above had received precautionary dose in India. With the intervention of the 75-day free vaccination campaign, 27% of the eligible population has received precautionary doses.