Priority given to those who need second dose of Covaxin: Delhi govt to HC

Advocate Anuj Aggarwal, appearing for the Delhi government told a single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli that the state government has issued a circular whereby it has made it mandatory for the private hospitals and nursing homes, which are vaccinating using Covaxin, to strictly reserve vaccination for the purpose of the second dose in respect of people of age group 18-44 years in the month of June 2021.

Central Government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia told the Court the Center has allocated further 40,000 doses of Covaxin to Delhi.

Centre told Delhi High Court that the State of Delhi has already received 1.5 lakh doses of Covaxin vaccine in May 2021 and for June 2021 total of 91,960, vaccine doses are likely to be available for direct procurement to cover 18-44 years Population (including the second dose) by Delhi.

Centre further submitted that the COWIN system provides the due lists (list of beneficiaries due for 2nd dose) on a given day, containing the name and contact details of such beneficiaries to enable the state and district officials to actively tackle the beneficiaries due for the second dose.

The CoWIN system also sends automatic SMSs to the beneficiaries, every 3rd day, starting from three days before the second dose due date, till such the beneficiary does get vaccinated with the second dose or books an appointment for the second dose, Center said in its affidavit.

Centre told the Delhi High Court that public health and hospitals are a state subject being placed in Entry 6 of the List Il of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India which reads as "Public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries". Accordingly, public health and hospital is primarily the responsibility of the states.

The Centre submitted that the Government of India is regularly communicating with states and UTs regarding prioritising second dose vaccination. The daily status on first and second dose coverage is also shared with the states/ UTs for appropriate action at states/ UTs level to increase second dose coverage. The Centre also said a letter has been shared with states/UTs to give priority to the beneficiaries who are due for a second dose. The states/UTs are regularly guided and informed in the video conferences held with them about prioritising the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Centre submitted that from May 1, 2021, a new Liberalized and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination strategy is implemented after detailed deliberations with the domain experts at various levels.

The Court has listed the matter for further hearing on June 11.

The court was hearing three separate pleas seeking to direct authorities concerned to plan the vaccination campaign to ensure the administration of the second dosage of Covid-19 vaccine to the eligible persons within the recommended period from the administration of the first dose as per the recommendation of Covid Working Group.

One of the petitions filed by Rajeev Parashar through advocates Amrish Kumar Tyagi, Deepak Parashar, Himanshu Shukla and Prakhar Singh. Another by a lawyer, Ashish Virmani, through advocate Pallav Mongia. The third one was filed by advocate Kushal Kumar. (ANI)