According to sources in the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka has vaccine stocks only for the next four days. On one hand, experts are telling to speed up the vaccination rollout to minimize the impact of the second wave in the state, the Central Government on other hand has asked the state to wait for two weeks for the vaccines to reach them.

An official from the Health Ministry on anonymity condition said that in their stock, they have Covishield vaccines that can suffice for the next four days only. But it will not affect the vaccine rollout programmes. They have asked for a fresh vaccine stock that will arrive soon.

Till now, Karnataka has vaccinated 11,73,848 recipients aged above 60 years and 3,09,660 recipients aged above 45 years with certain comorbidities with the 1st dose. Several individuals are waiting for their 2nd dose, which will be administered from 1st April. The shortage in vaccine stocks has occurred at a time as the Union Health Ministry, declared that the efficacy of Covishield vaccine is higher if the 2nd dose is taken after 6 to 8 weeks, based on the scientific evidence.

A senior doctor from a government hospital said that if any kind of shortage is faced then it has to be rectified as it can slow the vaccination process. It is not a good thing especially at a time when the second wave is spreading and cases are rising in the state.

According to experts, India will need to pile a reasonable stock and production of vaccines to have a continued campaign of 10 million doses per day. They argued that the Central Government should now approve the other vaccines too that are internationally available with established efficacy and safety under Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA). Bridge studies can be carried out as vaccines are rolled out under the EUA before gaining access to the market.

Dr Giridhara R Babu, senior epidemiologist and also a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for COVID-19 said that the government can proactively seek vaccine supplies from other manufacturers as the rapid studies can evaluate the safety and immunogenicity in the Indian context. 

The Union Government is considering whether it is required to stock more vaccines for expanding its vaccination programme. Several states, including Karnataka, had requested from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ease the age limit for vaccination. Karnataka’s TAC had recommended that any individual who is 18 years and above should be allowed to get any vaccine that is approved by the Centre. They also demanded the removal of restriction of medical certification of comorbidity, vaccine availability at the designated place, and at a price that is regulated by the government. The committee is assured that this will help to scale up the vaccination programme across India.

The Centre had rejected an expansion of vaccination centres as it was sure that such locations like old-age homes, apartment complexes, etc., do lack adequate space for vaccination i.e., waiting room area, vaccination room and observation room, also the cold storage facilities. The Centre had cited the reason as “lack of logistics”. Dr Anant Bhan, a bioethics researcher is closely monitoring and following vaccine-related research and development. He said that the Centre has not decided to vaccinate all, possibly due to shortage of vaccines. They might be wanting to first cover those people at risk as per the priority list. Later will open up and follow vaccination in sequence.

Source: The New Indian Express