Private vaccination centers to procure COVID vaccine directly from manufacturers: Odisha Govt

Vaccination Centers at private hospitals across the state can procure their Covid vaccines directly from the manufacturers, said Bijay Panigrahi, Director Family Welfare, COVID Vaccination Incharge, Odisha.

Vaccination Centers at private hospitals across the state can procure their Covid vaccines directly from the manufacturers, said Bijay Pgrahi, Director Family Welfare, COVID Vaccination Incharge, Odisha.

He further said that these vaccination centers receiving COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Government of India supply and charging up to Rs 250 per dose from the beneficiaries will cease to exist from May 1, 2021.

Speaking to , he said, "Vaccination Centers (Private Hospitals) receiving COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Government of India supply and charging up to Rs 250 per dose from the beneficiaries will cease to exist from May 1, 2021, therefore, Health and Family Welfare Department asked the state authorities to stop the supply of COVID-19 vaccine to the private COVID care centers (CVCs) after April 30."

"From May 1, 2021, COVID vaccine will be available for all private hospitals in the state. They can source their Covid vaccines directly from the manufacturers, from the 50 per cent vaccine doses earmarked for the other than Government of India channels. The Central government has fixed the price for them," said Pgrahi.

As many as 6,164 new COVID-19 cases, 2,009 recoveries and seven deaths were reported in Odisha in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Thursday.

With this, the total case tally in the state stood at 3,88,479, including 35,075 active cases 3,51,386 recoveries and 1,965 deaths. Of the new cases, 3,575 were reported from quarantine centres and 2,589 detected during contact tracing.

The conducted 9,7,49,932 sample tests for COVID-19 on Thursday.

As per the state government data on Thursday, out of the total reported cases, Khurda accounted for the most number of cases with 1,132, followed by Nuapada with 459 cases, Kalahandi 452, Sundargarh 427 and Jharsuguda with 355 cases.

Amid the rising cases, a weekend shutdown was declared for Saturday and Sunday in all urban areas of the State with effect from April 24.

India recorded 3,32,730 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year. India has crossed the mark of 3 lakh COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days now.

This has taken the cumulative count of the COVID infection in the country to 1,62,63,695.

According to the official data issued by the Union Health Ministry, the country has recorded 2,263 new deaths due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.

As many as 1,86,920 people have succumbed to the viral infection in India so far. There are 24,28,616 active COVID-19 cases in the country now.

As many as 1,36,48,159 recoveries have been reported so far, out of which 1,93,279 were reported in the last 24 hours.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 27,44,45,653 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to April 22. Of these, 17,40,550 were tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 13,54,78,420.

( With inputs from ANI )