Tirupati: Many people return as UPHCs run out of vax stocks

Tirupati: The 8 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) in the city witnessed a heavy turnout of people for vaccination held on Saturday in the pilgrim city.

A long queue of people was seen at all the UPHCs where people started pouring in from morning, several hours before the vaccination commenced and patiently wait for hours to have their turn, thanks to the high level of awareness due to rapid increase of Covid. Elaborate arrangements on the part of health department of Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) coupled with police presence at the UPHCs saw no pushing and jostling and also people maintaining physical distance in the beginning hours.

However, in the afternoon, there was jostling and pushing in the health centres with people tried to enter at a time for vaccination before completion of the stock of Covaxin vaccine.

There was altercation when many people claiming staff or political leaders tried to enter the hospital bypassing the queue in the UPHCs.

Those requiring second dose only allowed on Saturday for vaccination both Covishield and Covaxin, the later has heavy demand adding to the crowd.

Many elderly people returned with disappointment with exhaustion of the stock after waiting for several hours and some people enter heated argument with the health centre staff who had a tough time in convincing them. An aged couple Lakshmi and Ramaiah from Singalagunta, who had their first dose of Covaxin 6 weeks back, lamented that the time for second dose was over and criticised the government for its failure to ensure adequate supply of vaccines.

Corporation Health Officer Dr D T Sudharani said in all 2,300 people including 1,650 Covaxin and 650 Covishield vaccinated while another 600 in SVIMS and SVRR hospital today added that the vaccination (Covishield) will be organised on Monday in the city.