After 10 days, Telangana restarts vaccination for all

Naveen S Garewal 

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Tribune News Service 

Hyderabad, May 25

The Telangana Government on Tuesday gave a go-ahead to all designated private hospitals to administer Covid vaccines to eligible individuals above 18 years.

The state government has also permitted private hospitals to conduct vaccination drives in workplaces (on request made by institutions/companies/gated companies, etc) by registering on CoWIN portal and following Covid vaccination guidelines.

Due to the shortage of vaccines, the drive in the state had been suspended since May 15, thereby also keeping the process of administering vaccines at PCVCs to individuals above 18 years in abeyance. Vaccination restarted with the administering of a second dose from today.

Director of Public Health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao has issued orders permitting private hospitals to restart the vaccination. However, individuals will have to register on the CoWin portal and follow Covid vaccination guidelines.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced free Covid vaccination for all the eligible beneficiaries in the state. Free vaccination is estimated to cost Rs 2,500 crore to the state exchequer. He said the state has nearly four crores, including people from different states who have come to work in various sectors. Telangana claims it has a vaccination capacity of 10 lakh people daily.

The Chief Minister has written to the Centre to supply 2 to 2.5 lakh doses per day as 13 lakh vaccines are required till the end of May. The state has also started identifying super spreaders and will organise a particular vaccination drive for them.