Mumbai: Over 70 vaccination centres out of 120 temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 vaccine shortage

People wait in que to get COVID-19 vaccine jab at Jumbo Vaccination Centre in NESCO, Goregaon on Friday. Pic/ Anurag Ahire

Over 70 COVID-19 vaccination centres out of total 120 have been temporarily shut in the city due to shortage of doses. This means hardly 40 per cent of the vaccination centers were functioning on Friday.

Even as civic officials on Thursday had claimed that there are about 50K doses available for the next day, the scene on Friday morning showed a different picture.

Several vaccination centres across the city, including a jumbo COVID-19 facility in business district BKC, suspended inoculation on Friday morning due to a shortage of doses, BMC sources said.

A man waits in line to be vaccinated at Jumbo Vaccination Centre in NESCO, Goregaon on Friday. Pic/ Anurag Ahire

The remaining centres are likely to suspend the vaccination drive by afternoon or evening as the available stock is fast depleting, according to the sources.

Board at M.A. Podar Hospital in Worli states vaccination suspended due to shortage of doses. Pic/ Soorya Karkera

"With daily increase in the number of Covid cases, the situation has been grim and citizens are running towards the vaccination centers. But there is hardly any stock coming in and unless that happens, the drive cannot be started," said officials.

People wait outside COVID Health Centre at Ketkipada, Dahisar to get vaccinated. Pic/Satej Shinde

The civic body of Mumbai had claimed it had suspended vaccination at 25 centres in private hospitals on Thursday due to unavailability of doses.

(with inputs from agencies)