Four days on, no first dose for people above 45 years due to vaccine crunch in

Ludhiana, May 16

For the fourth day today, vaccination for the 45 plus category (first dose) was not carried out as the district has not received the stock of Covishield. Now, it is expected that the stock will be arrived by Monday evening.

For the 45 plus category, only second dose of Covaxin was administered at four places in the city and at one session site in Khanna. Meanwhile, vaccination for the 18-44 category was carried out at 35 session sites today.

Being Sunday, a huge rush was witnessed at all session sites for the 18-44 year category. A beneficiary after getting the jab said she got vaccinated after standing for two hours but she was happy that she got the vaccination.

Those in the category of 45 plus are waiting for the stock to arrive and many have booked their appointments online but they have to return from vaccination centres as the stock has not arrived so far.

District Immunisation Officer Puneet Juneja said they might receive the stock for the 45 plus category tomorrow while vaccination for the 18-44 years’ group was going on smoothly, he said.

Oxygen concentrator bank for patients

With Ludhiana witnessing a surge in Covid cases and demand for oxygen has peaked, the Red Cross Society has started an oxygen concentrator bank for patients requiring the support of the life-saving gas in home isolation.

Inaugurating the bank at the Red Cross Bhawan, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma, accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner (D) Sandeep Kumar and Civil Surgeon Kiran Gill said as many as 25 oxygen concentrators had been donated by the NGO to the administration which would be given to needy patients through the bank.

Dr Gill said home-isolated Covid patients could take it from the bank on mandatory doctor’s

prescription and guarantee of device’s functioning under his supervision.

He said the oxygen concentrator applicant had to pay a minimal daily rent of Rs 200 to the administration and submit refundable security of Rs 25,000 (either draft or cheque) to the society.

She said the concentrator seeker had to submit an online google form on www.Ludhiana.nic.in and the applicant would be informed over the phone once the application is accepted within 12 hours. He or she could procure the concentrator from the society from 9 am to 5 pm, she said, adding that the decision had been taken on the recommendation of the seven-member committee of doctors.

The DC said that the applicant could also contact at 94173-76655, 98784-50219 and 81465-55493 for the same.

As many as 81 concentrators are being used for patients in government hospitals of the district.— TNS