Vaccination drive for 18+ suspended

Coimbatore: The district recorded 1,113 fresh Covid-19 cases on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 78,410.

With 1,107 people getting discharged, the number of active cases rose slightly to 6,943. With the district recording two more deaths, the toll went up to 722. The number of people getting discharged went to 70,745, raising the recovery rate marginally to 90.22%.

The two victims were a 33-year-old man and a 26-year-old man who died after hospitalization in Coimbatore Medical College due to acute respiratory distress and bilateral bronchopneumonia. Both had no comorbidities.

Meanwhile, with fresh stock of vaccines yet to arrive in Tamil Nadu, the health department suspended the plan to vaccinate people from 18 to 45 years temporarily. “The plan has been suspended temporarily until further orders. The vaccination programme for those above 45 years will continue as usual,” a statement issued by deputy director of health services Ramesh Kumar said.

Meanwhile, it was utter chaos at the vaccination centre set up at Government Arts College on Friday by Coimbatore Medical College authorities. Authorities had set up a centre in the college opposite the hospital to decongest CMCH and reduce general public’s exposure to the virus. However, close to 800 people, including senior citizens, turned up.

“We received only 500 doses of the vaccine and administered every dose. However, they got over by 12pm,” said a senior CMCH doctor. While they managed to administer the first dose to 375 beneficiaries, the second dose was administered to 125 people.

The vaccination staff ended up giving tokens to hundreds of people, who they had to refuse. With people desperate to get tokens, many of them formed huge groups outside the closed shutters and started questioning the police personnel stationed there.

“The rapid increase in cases, combined with constant reports of vaccine shortage, is making people nervous and desperate for the vaccine. While we have given tokens to hundreds of people, we don’t know how many doses we will receive and can vaccinate on Saturday,” said the doctor.