COVID-19: BBMP admits vaccine shortage in B’luru

Bengaluru: BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Wednesday, May 12 finally admitted that the city was facing a shortage of vaccines.

He said that owing to the shortage of vaccines, the civic body has decided to prioritise beneficiaries due for the second dose.

“Priority is given to those who need to get the second dose and to those above 45 years of age. Those between 18 and 45 will be provided with the vaccine once there is an adequate supply of vaccine,” Gupta said.

He added that there is an adequate vaccine storage facility in the city but the vaccine is distributed only according to the supply.

He further urged everyone to mandatorily pre-register on the CoWin portal and visit the vaccine centres only after the schedule is fixed.

“Pre-register on the CoWin portal will prevent a large number of gathering at the vaccination centres. In addition, as there is a vaccine shortage in a few vaccine centres at private hospitals, vaccination drive is being carried out in only some hospitals. The state needs 3 crore vaccines and the demand for the same has been submitted according to the city’s population,” he explained.

There is no shortage of testing kits and laboratories in the city, the Chief Commissioner said he has issued a directive that people with symptoms, and their primary contacts, and others who have come in close contact with them must be tested immediately.