Congress slams Centre over vaccine shortage

New Delhi, Aug 1 The Congress on Sunday questioned the shortage of vaccines in the country amid claims by the government that 47 crore people have been vaccinated so far in the country.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a tweet on Sunday said, "July has also gone but vaccine shortage has not gone."

Echoing Rahul Gandhi's views, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh too attacked the government and said, "To vaccinate fully all adults by year end, at least 85 lakh doses/day must be administered. Highest we've achieved for a 30 day period so far is 45 lakh doses/day. Capacity to ramp up vaccination exists in many states. The only problem is vaccine supply."

The Congress has been targeting the government over the vaccination supply shortage, while the government has been blaming vaccine hesitancy in the country.

The government on Sunday claimed that India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed the landmark of 47 Cr. as 60,15,842 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours.

The government said, more than 49.49 crore (49,49,89,550) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far, through all sources and a further 8,04,220 doses are in the pipeline.

Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 46,70,26,662 doses (as per data available at 8 a.m. on Sunday).

More than 3 Cr (3,00,58,190) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs and private hospitals to be administered.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on July 20 in the upper house had said that soon they will have vaccines for children and the clinical trials are ongoing.

Mandaviya said, "Zydus Cadila has applied for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for its Covid-19 vaccine and Hyderabad-based Biological E will enter the market with 7.5 crore doses of its Covid-19 vaccine by September-October."