COVID-19 vaccination for 18+ age group halted in Delhi as vaccine stocks run out: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi:Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday urged the Central government to increase the vaccine quota for Delhi, informing the people that the vaccination centers for the age group between 18-44 years have been shut down and vaccination has been halted due to the shortage of vaccines in Delhi. To handle the vaccination crisis in Delhi, CM Shri Kejriwal gave four suggestions to the Central government, urging the Centre to buy and distribute international vaccines and that states should not be the ones to procure vaccines and fight each other on the international stage. He also said that the Central government should order all companies to make vaccines as Bharat Biotech has agreed to share Covaxin's formula with other firms. He also said that the Central government should procure the stock of vaccines from nations that have more than they need; International vaccine manufacturers should be permitted to manufacture vaccines in India.

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “In the past 24 hours, only 2200 cases have come up in Delhi. the infection rate has also declined in the past 24 hours and has come down to only 3.5%. But this does not mean that the dangers of the Coronavirus have been stalled. It persists. We have to take every measure to save ourselves from the Coronavirus.”

He said, “Secondly, the worrying issue, from today onwards the vaccination drive for the youth has come to an end. The vaccines that the Central Government sent for the youth have finished. As a result, the vaccination centers for the youth are being closed down from today. Few doses of the vaccine are left which are being given at some of the few centers which also will get over by the evening. Starting tomorrow, all the centers for vaccinating the youth will shut down. I am extremely saddened by the fact that we have to close down the centers for vaccinating the youth due to the non-availability of the vaccines. We have also told the Central Government in writing; we have asked for more vaccines from the central government. As soon as we get more vaccines, we will start these centers again.”

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Delhi needs 80 lakh vaccine doses every month. In comparison to this, we only received 16 lakh vaccines in the month of May and the Central Government has reduced the quota for Delhi for the month of June. The letter we have received from the Central Government mentions that we will be given only 8 lakh vaccines in the month of June. In May, we were given 16 lakh vaccines and in June we will be given 8 lakh vaccines. Till now we have administered a total of 50 lakh vaccines in Delhi and we need 2.5 crore vaccines more to vaccinate all the adults in Delhi. At this pace, if only 8 lakh vaccines are provided every month, it will take 30 months to vaccinate all adults in Delhi. Till then no one knows how many waves and deaths due to the Coronavirus will be witnessed.”

He added, “To save people’s lives from the Coronavirus, we have to immediately increase the availability of the vaccine in the country. For this, I have four suggestions for the Central Government. Firstly, the Bharat Biotech Company which manufactures Covaxin is ready to give its formula to other companies. There are several vaccine-making companies in the country. The central government should immediately invite all those companies and give them an order, not request but order them that all those companies should start rapidly making vaccines. I want to say this with the utmost respect that in the next 24 hours, all these companies should be called and given this order. What I say should not be taken for granted. At this moment every day is precious, and that is why I say so . “

He said, “Second suggestion is that all the foreign vaccines should be given immediate permission to be used in India. This should also happen within the next 24 hours. There should be no delay in this. The Indian Government should communicate with all the manufacturers of foreign vaccines. Right now the Indian Government has left it on the states to communicate. Every state is talking to foreign companies on its level. Does this look good? The 36 states and Union Territories of India, are fighting amongst themselves in front of the companies, Maharashtra is fighting with Haryana, Haryana is fighting with Delhi, all are fighting amongst themselves in front of these companies. What image is this projecting of India? If the Indian government buys from them only then these foreign companies will take the Indian government seriously and then the Indian government can directly talk to the Governments of these companies. When the Government of India talks directly to these companies then it will talk of buying several crores of vaccine so obviously, these companies will talk properly to the Government of India.”

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “The Government of India should buy vaccines from them and distribute it amongst the states. The third solution is that it has been in the news that many countries have accumulated more than needed vaccines with them. They have stored vaccines more than their populations. The Government of India should plead for giving those vaccines to India. The fourth suggestion is that all foreign vaccine manufacturing companies should be immediately permitted to manufacture vaccines in India." 

"In the end, it is my request to the Central Government that vaccines should be made available to Delhi as soon as possible so that we can start administering the vaccines again, open the vaccination centers and that the quota for vaccination should also be increased for Delhi. The maximum number of lives of the youth have been lost in the second wave of the Coronavirus. The youngsters have died and the quota of vaccines for the youth has gotten over," added the CM.

*Today, the shortage of vaccines has created a very difficult situation in the country. It is tragic if a family has to face a moral crisis of whether to get themselves vaccinated or to get their family members vaccinated due to the shortage: CM Arvind Kejriwal*

CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “To save Delhi and the Country from the third wave, there is only one way – vaccinate maximum people in minimum time. Beds, ICUs, oxygen, and medicines, we are already preparing for all this but the vaccine is the strongest weapon to save ourselves from the wrath of the Coronavirus. The shortage of vaccines is not just the concern of the government, the ordinary man is also scared of the problem of shortage of vaccines. Yesterday I received a call from an old mother who told me that she and her son want to get vaccinated. I asked them their age to which they said that her age is 65 years and that her son is 35 years old. I said that the vaccines for the youth are over, and I will get her vaccinated. She thought for a bit and asked me if it is okay to administer the vaccine of her share to her son. She said she is old, but her son has to manage a family, so he must stay protected. I was very disturbed after listening to this. Today, the shortage of vaccines has created a very difficult situation in the country. There can be nothing more tragic if a family has to face a moral crisis of whether to get themselves vaccinated or to get their family members vaccinated due to the shortage. In the country, if a father, a son, a brother, a mother, or a sister face such a complex situation where they have to choose whether they themselves get vaccinated or leave it for the youth of the family, then there can be nothing more saddening than this.”