PANJIM: The possibility of starting vaccinating people aged between 18 and 44 years in Goa from Saturday, hangs in balance as the State is yet to receive its first consignment of five lakh COVID-19 vaccines. Goa has estimated 6.40 lakh people in the age group of 18-44 years.
According to the Directorate of Health Services, State immunisation programme, chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Rajendra Borkar, the government had written to both the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers –Serum Institute of India, Pune and Bharat Biotech – seeking to purchase vaccines so that the vaccination programme for people aged between 18 and 44 years starts from May 1.
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“We had asked for five lakh
vaccines from Serum Institute and also made enquiries with Bharat Biotech as to how many vaccines and at what cost and how fast they could supply to Goa,” Borkar said, adding that both companies were not in a position to give the exact number of vaccines they could supply. “Both told us they will inform us,” he said.
However, Borkar added that if the consignment arrives in Goa by Friday night then Directorate of Health Services will start the vaccination programme from May 1.
According to Borkar, the Serum Institute had tentatively priced its vaccine at Rs 400 for the State government and Rs 600 for private hospitals even as the Goa government has already decided to provide free vaccines to its people.
Meanwhile, 3,31,044 persons above the age of 45 years have been administered the COVID-19 vaccine doses in Goa till now. Of these 2,60,055 were administered the first dose and 70,989 persons were given the second doses since the vaccination programme started from January 16 this year.
