Assam faces Covaxin shortage, expects 1.5 lakh doses to arrive in few days

With Assam facing shortage of Covaxin supplies, the state is expecting to get 1.5 lakh vaccines in the next couple of days.

Owing to shortage Assam has recently suspended the first dose of Covaxin. Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta on Tuesday told media persons in Guwahati that around 1.5 lakh people are due for a second dose of Covaxin.

The minister said, “We have asked the Deputy Commissioners to assess the requirement of a second dose of Covaxin in their district and found that around 1.5 lakh people are due for second dose. We got 50,000 vaccines on Tuesday and in the next two to three days we will get 1 to 1.5 lakh doses. This shortage will be over soon.”


Mahanta tweeted, “We have received 50,000 doses of #Covaxin today for 45 years and above”.

Several people are writing to the government in social media asking when they can avail the second dose for they have already crossed the 42-day deadline for taking the second dose.

Even people are returned back from the vaccination centres.

Till June 7, 43,88,649 people were vaccinated out of which 35,33, 191 got first dose and 8,55, 458 second dose.

Leader of opposition in Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia has sought paid leave for tea garden labourers while they go for inoculation.

In a letter to Sanjay Kishan, minister for Labour and Tea Tribe Welfare, Saikia said, “I have received complaints from many tea garden labourers that whenever they go to nearby Government healthcare facilities for Covid vaccination, the tea garden managements do not grant them leave and consequently the workers have to forgo their wages for that day. This is an unacceptable situation”.

He added, “As such, I request you kindly to issue strict instructions to all tea garden managements of Assam to allow paid leave whenever any labourer seeks to go for vaccination at nearby Government healthcare facilities. The managements may, of course, ascertain details regarding vaccination of individual labourers by consulting officials of the relevant healthcare facility".

Saikia said," I have been informed that there has been shortage in supply of vaccines in the tea garden areas, thereby resulting in inadequate vaccination. The Covid testing process has also been lethargic. Only around 10 – 20 % of the tea garden population has been tested so far. I would, therefore, request you to take necessary steps for speeding up the Covid testing process as well as the vaccination drive in the tea garden areas of Assam”.