Centre should provide at least 45 lakh Covid vaccine doses in July to keep up current vaccination rate of 1.5 lakh jabs daily: Atishi

New Delhi: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MLA Atishi said on Sunday that more than 25% of the youth in Delhi have been vaccinated. 50% of the population in the above 45 years age category is already vaccinated. A record 2,07,559 people were administered vaccines in Delhi on Saturday, out of which more than 1.5 lakh doses were administered to the youth. So far 73, 29,652 people have been given vaccine doses in Delhi.

Out of which more than 56 lakh people have got the first and more than 17 lakh people have received both doses. She said that a total of 7.06 lakh vaccine doses are currently available in Delhi. Out of this 5.40 lakh Covishield and more than 1.6 lakh Covaxin doses are available. Now 3 days stock is available in Delhi at the speed of 2 lakh vaccinations per day. The Central government should provide at least 45 lakh vaccine doses in July at the rate of 1.5 lakh vaccinations per day, said AAP MLA Atishi.

Atishi further said, “Delhi’s vaccination speed is increasing on an everyday basis, for 2 days continuously Delhi has administered more than 1.5 lakh doses per day, and yesterday we broke our previous records and administered 2 lakh doses in a day,” adding “On 26th June, 2,07,559 doses were administered out of which more than 1.5 lakh doses were administered to the people in the 18-44 age group. We are happy that the youth is stepping out in large numbers to get themselves vaccinated.” 

“The Delhi government has been asking the Central government to increase the vaccine supply repeatedly, as the youth of Delhi want to get themselves vaccinated. Vaccinating the youth would also help in reducing the vaccine hesitancy that can still be seen in some people of the other age groups, as whenever a young member of any family steps out to get themselves vaccinated, they also take along their other family members with them to get them vaccinated as well,” she said.

As of 26th June, the total vaccine doses administered in Delhi are 73,29,652, out of which more than 56 lakh people have received the first dose while more than 17 lakh people have received both doses.  She also informed that, “We were able to vaccinate more than 50% of the 45 and above age group population a long time ago, but since the vaccination of the youth started at a later stage and the vaccine availability was also an issue. Therefore, the vaccination speed of the youth was increasing at a slower pace. But with the availability of the vaccine stock and the increase in the vaccination speed we have been able to vaccinate 25% of the youth population in Delhi.”

“The vaccine stock available in Delhi as on Sunday is 7,06,000, out of which there are 5,43,000 Covishield doses and 1,63,000 Covaxin doses available. If we look at the vaccine stock available with us, at the present speed of vaccinating 2 lakh people in a day, we have 3 days of vaccine stock available with us. Even if we add the 50,000 Covishield doses that we received yesterday, then also we only have 3 days of vaccine stock available,”  Atishi informed while giving the vaccination bulletin.," the AAP MLA added. 

She further said that “The Delhi government has already written a letter to the Central government stating that, according to 1.5 lakh vaccination in a day, Delhi would require 45 lakh vaccine doses in the month of July, and if the vaccination speed keeps increasing, then Delhi would need more than 45 lakh doses per month. The increase in vaccine supply would help us in vaccinating about 70% of our population and achieving herd immunity in Delhi, making Delhi safe for everyone.”