New Delhi: After the massive vaccination campaign started on June 21, the Delhi government is being accused of taking the vaccination campaign at a slow pace.
Responding to such allegations, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain questioned such record vaccination campaigns on one day and the dismal numbers the next. He said that like Madhya Pradesh, lakhs of vaccinations are not being done in Delhi in a day and then not even 1000 are being done the next day.
“We are vaccinating 75,000-80,000 people every day. In Madhya Pradesh, even one per cent of what they recorded on June 21 could not be achieved the next day,” he told ABP News.
ABP News from Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Question- There are allegations that the pace of vaccination in Delhi is slow. What is the reason behind this and is it true?
answer- Madhya Pradesh vaccinated lakhs in one day and the next day even a thousand people could not get vaccinated. We are not treating the vaccination campaign as a show, photo op or event. Vaccines are being administered regularly to the people of Delhi. Everyone knows that there was a problem with the availability of the vaccine and the vaccines that we have now will also run out in 10-12 days. We have to make arrangements for those who have to take the second dose, so vaccination is being done accordingly.
Question- The BJP and the central government allege that there were around 8,50,000 doses for the 45+ age group and around 2,00,000-2,50,000 doses for the 18+ age group. But in Delhi only a few thousand people were vaccinated.
answer- Vaccination is not just for one day. They are asking why people were not vaccinated that day. We employ 75,000-80,000 people daily. There has been a steady increase in the number of vaccinations from the day before yesterday to today. In MP, they could not even achieve 1% as compared to the previous day. Is it better to vaccinate many people in one day or maintain a similar number every day?
Question- Is the stock for 45+ age group being used for 18+ now? Are the age groups now merged into one?
answer- The Center has said that they will make vaccines available for all, so there is no classification. Everyone above the age of 18 is now in a similar group. Earlier, there was a separate 60+ category, 45+ category and 18+ category. It then became two categories – 18+ and 45+. From today, there will be only one category – 18+.
Question- Will the people of Delhi be given the first dose of Covaxin?
answer- There is still some shortage of Covaxin, so the number of centers for that vaccine is small. The availability of Covishield is better, so there are more centers administering that vaccine.
Question- Will people be able to get their first dose of Covaxin in the month of July?
answer- The time frame for a second dose of Covaxin is short (28 days). People who have taken the first dose will need to take their second dose on time. The central government has extended the time between two doses of Kovishield, so that people are no longer coming for their second dose. Only those who want the first dose are coming. After a few days people will also come to take another job.
Right now there are about 50,00,000 people in Delhi who have received the first dose and 10,00,000-12,00,000 people who have received the second. So, there are about 40,00,000 of them who will get the second dose as well.
Madhya Pradesh had vaccinated 3,12,000 people on June 21 and only 120 people yesterday. Haryana vaccinated 2,50,000 people yesterday and only 63,000 people yesterday. They will be preparing for this one day event. All were appointed on the same day. All this was just to prove that the BJP-led central government is making a lot of efforts to fight the coronavirus.
Question- Does it look like the hoarding was being done for a specific event?
answer- Yes, okay.
Question- 45+ stock will now be used for 18+ as well, so is there a different arrangement for this? Will more centers be made available?
answer- Now everything is back to normal, has become a category. Anyone over the age of 18 is in one category. Now all the centers will be common.
Question- Can anyone go anywhere to get vaccinated, whether by appointment or by walk-in?
answer- Even if you do not make an appointment, it will be done on a walk-in basis.
(Excerpts from an interview with Anjali Singh)
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