A second private hospital in Calcutta has started administering Covid shots to people in the 18-44 age group as queries for vaccines flood other hospitals.
Some hospitals said they were expecting to procure doses from the manufacturers in a few weeks, while others are uncertain about the dates. Most hospitals said their priorities were still second-dose recipients.
Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals on Wednesday started the vaccination drive for those between 18 and 44 years, a day after Woodlands Hospital started it.
Apollo has procured Covishield doses from the Serum Institute of India, said an official.
“We have procured the doses from the manufacturers and have started vaccinating those between 18 and 44. We have also resumed administering the second dose to those above 45,” said an official of Apollo Gleneagles.
The hospital vaccinated around 500 people on Wednesday.
All private hospitals had suspended Covid vaccination on May 1 because of lack of supply. The Association of Hospitals of Eastern India, a body of private hospitals, had requested the state government to help procure about two crore doses from the manufacturers for them.
The state government has asked the Centre to supply 40 lakh doses for May. It received only five lakh doses on Wednesday.
Woodlands Hospital, which is vaccinating 250 people daily, had all its slots booked within minutes of opening appointments on the CoWIN app.
“The slots are getting filled very fast. Those in the 18-44 age group are aware of the situation and keen to get vaccinated. We are going to continue with the vaccination drive now,” said Rupali Basu, the chief executive officer of Woodlands.
Some other hospitals said they were in touch with both Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of Covaxin. The RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences could resume vaccination from the second week of this month, said an official of the hospital.
“We are in regular contact with Serum Institute and expect Covishield doses to arrive at our hospital by the third week of May. Talks are also on with Bharat Biotech for Covaxin and we expect a consignment by the second week of May,” said R. Venkatesh, regional director, east, Narayana Health, of which the RN Tagore hospital is a flagship unit.
“Our priority will be the second dose for those above 45. If enough doses are available, we might simultaneously start vaccination of people in the 18-44 age group,” said Venkatesh.
He said the hospital's helpline was getting around 400 calls every day. The callers want to know when vaccination of the 18-44 age group will start and administration of the second dose will resume.
Many are holding the hospital responsible for the suspension of vaccination. "If we don’t get doses, how can we resume the drive," asked an official.
AMRI Hospitals need 1.5 lakh doses for May, said an official of the chain.
“Our priority is the second dose but we also want to start the third phase (inoculation of the 18-44 age group). We are in talks with both manufacturers but they are saying there are some delays because of issues like shortage of personnel caused by Covid," said Rupak Barua, the group CEO of AMRI.
