BackOdisha to start vaccinating 18+ in five municipalities with high positivity rate
The state health and family department has decided to set up government-sponsored vaccination centres in private hospitalsThe state government will supply the vaccines to private hospitals free of cost and the hospital will be allowed to collect up to ₹100 per dose
PremiumThe Odisha government has decided to prioritise vaccination of people aged between 18 to 44 who reside in five municipal corporations where the Covid-19 positivity rate is high.
"The state has started the process of procurement of Covid-19 vaccine for vaccination of I8 to 44 year age group from state's own fund," wrote additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra in a letter to all district collectors on Saturday.
"Presently, as the manufacturers are able to supply low quantity of vaccines, we are starting 18 to 44 year age group vaccination only in five municipal corporations," he added.
He informed that these give municipal corporations are where the positivity rate of the infections is very high. "However, as the vaccine supply improves, other districts will also be covered under this program," Mohapatra added.
In addition to this, the state health and family department has decided to set up government-sponsored vaccination centres in private hospitals. These hospitals will be used as an extension of government CVC for the vaccination of beneficiaries aged 18-44.
The state government will supply the vaccines to private hospitals free of cost and the hospital will be allowed to collect up to ₹100 per dose from those getting vaccines as service charge.
The nationwide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16 January with healthcare workers getting the jabs first. The drive for frontline workers started on 2 February.
The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on 1 March for those over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
The country launched vaccination for those aged above 45 from 1 April.
After this, the government implemented the Liberalised and Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy for inoculating those in the age group of 18-44 years started from 1 May amid many states flagging a shortage of vaccines.
Cases in Odisha
The state on Saturday reported 11,807 new Covid-19 cases, while 21 more people succumbed to the disease.
The new cases were detected after 50,864 samples were tested on Friday. The test positive rate (TPR) in the state stood at 23.21%, indicating that one in every 4.3 people undergoing Covid tests is being found positive.
In some districts, the TPR is nearly 50%.
Odisha has so far reported 5,24,207 cases, while the death toll was at 2,161.
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