The ambitious “vaccination festival” remained a non-starter on Monday, even if two other people died of the infection in the SPSR Nellore district and the death toll in the south coast region rose to 1,112.
No person was vaccinated on the second day of Tika Utsav after the center delayed vaccine replenishment.
Health officials ran out of vaccine supplies on Monday as the number of active cases in SPSR Nellore and Prakasam districts rose to 3,353.
State Energy Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy reviewed the health situation with representatives from Praksam District along with Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and said the center had promised to provide enough doses to the state by Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Minister removes fears
The minister allayed fears from people waiting for their turn, saying vaccination is an ongoing process and everyone over 45 is covered on a satiety basis.
“The trip will be vigorously carried out from April 14th, with meeting places being set up in all the village secretariats,” said Prakasam district collector P. Bhaskar.
“Shares by Tuesday at the latest”
Prakasam District and Health Commissioner P. Ratnavalli said the district administration expects 50,000 to 60,000 doses of vaccine by Tuesday at the latest.
She noted the flare-up in new cases, saying while those with mild symptoms would be taken home in isolation, those with severe symptoms would be hospitalized.
Up to 352 people in the area tested positive for the disease within 24 hours. While the SPSR Nellore district had 1,848 active cases, prakasam had 1,305 cases, according to a health bulletin published by the state government. With two deaths, the toll in the SPSR Nellore district rose to 525. With zero deaths, the toll remained unchanged at 589 in the Prakasam district.
Meanwhile, officials urged Muslim religious leaders to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol during austerity measures during the holy month of ‘Ramadan’ starting April 15.