Pregnant women, minors will not get Covid-19 vax in Maharashtra

Health Minister of Maharashtra, Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday that the ‘Covishield’ vaccine will not to administered to people under the age of 18, pregnant women and those with allergies.

By: Arushi Bidhuri | | Published: January 13, 2021 4:41 pm

Covid-19 infection: कोरोना इंफ्केशन होने पर 5 महीने के लिए बूस्ट होती है इम्यूनिटी, बस ये 1 खतरा रहता है बरकरार

As India waits for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, which will begin from January 16, certain groups are being excluded from it. The Health Minister of Maharashtra, Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday that the ‘Covishield’ vaccine will not be administered to people under the age of 18, pregnant women and those with allergies. According to media reports, the full two-doses will be given to selected people, with the first dose now, and the second after 4-6 weeks. Also Read - Adverse events post Covid-19 vaccination: AIIMS' security guard admitted to ICU

“We have decided to give the full-doses to the selected persons, the first dose now and the second after 4-6 weeks. However, those below 18 years, pregnant women or people with allergies shall not be administered the vaccine,” Tope told the press. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,557,985 while death toll reaches 1,52,274

Maharashtra Has Received 55% Of The Expected Doses Of The COVID Vaccine

The Maharashtra government has received 963,000 doses of the expected 17,50,000 from the manufacturers, Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune. The vaccine doses are being dispatched since Tuesday to 511 designated vaccination centres including Thane, Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik, Akola, Nagpur and others. Of these 511 centres, 129 have been allotted to the thickly-populated Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which has recorded a staggering 19,274 Covid-19 fatalities, and 677,220 cases in the past 10 months till date. Also Read - Delhi health workers suffer mild reaction post COVID-19 vaccine: What you should expect

The worst-hit in the country by the Covid-19 pandemic with the maximum 11,200 deaths so far, the country’s commercial capital has got the lion’s share of 72 vaccination centres in the state. The first lot of the ‘Covishield’ vaccine for Covid-19 reached Mumbai early on Wednesday morning, Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner I.S. Chahal told IANS.

The SII has given about 139,500 doses to BMC for the vaccination drive to be held at 72 centres in Mumbai, and from the F/South Divisional Office, it will be dispatched to various vaccination centres in Mumbai over the next couple of days.

As per current plans, around 100 persons – or nearly 7,200 in Mumbai city – shall be administered the vaccine jab daily, Tope said. Earlier this morning, the civic staff at the BMC F /South Division office welcomed the life-saving vaccine with cheers, claps, garlands and ‘poojas’. Then, it was taken for storage in the temperature-controlled vaccine strong room on the ground floor, as per the prescribed Centre and state government protocols.

Serum Institute’s Covishield Will Be Available At These Prices

Covishield is one of two COVID vaccines that have been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). It is India’s first indigenous vaccine against COVID-19, developed by Hyderabad-based company Bharat Biotech. With vaccine rollout in the loop, the state government is all set to begin the world’s biggest vaccination drives. It has been reported that the vaccine will be given at Rs 250 to the government while it will be available in the private market for Rs 1000.

(with inputs from IANS)

Published : January 13, 2021 4:41 pm

Read Disclaimer