Thanks to severe vaccination shortage, Kerala's ambitious 22-day vaccination drive from August 9 to 31 seemed doomed even before it could take off. Now, there is a temporary reprieve. Health Minister Veena George announced on Tuesday, that 5.11 lakh doses (five lakh eleven thousand and eighty) had reached Kerala.
Of this 2.91 lakh (two lakh ninety one thousand and eighty) are Covishield vaccine and the remaining 2.20 lakh (two lakh twenty thousand) are Covaxin doses.
Here is how the Covishield vaccines have been distributed among districts: Thiruvananthapuram (98,560), Ernakulam (1,14,590), Kozhikode (77,930). Here is how Covaxin is distributed: Thiruvananthapuram (74,500), Ernakulam (86,500), Kozhikode (59,000).
As part of the intense vaccination campaign, Kerala government had plans to purchase 20 lakh doses and distribute it among private hospitals in the state but that plan had to be kept on hold due to shortage of vaccines.
Non-availability of vaccines had led to the shutting down of many vaccination centres across Kerala. If the number of COVID-19 vaccination centres in Kerala was 1157 on August 6, it dropped to just 236 on August 8.
Vaccines were completely out of stock in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Wayanad districts.
On Monday, August 9, 2.91 lakh doses were administered. Today, August 10, only less than half could be administered: 95,308.
By August 9, 54% of the total population in Kerala had received at least one vaccination dose. 22% have received both the doses.
