COVID-19: Due to acute shortage, vaccine drive grinds to a halt in Kashmir valley
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Kashmir valley is facing an immense shortage of vaccines. According to a government release, not a single dose of vaccine has been given to people in the last 5 days.
While the whole country is grappling with growing COVID-19 positive cases, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a huge increase in the cases as well COVID-19 related deaths. And the government has said that to beat this second deadly wave in the country, vaccination is the only way out.
However, Kashmir valley is facing an immense shortage of vaccines. According to a government release, not a single dose of vaccine has been given to people in the last 5 days. The J&K media bulletin clearly shows that in all the ten districts of Kashmir valley, not a single vaccine dose has been given to any citizen.
Amarjit Kaur and her father have been coming to the vaccination centre every day for the last 5 consecutive days, but every day they are being sent back as the vaccination centre has no vaccines.
"I have been coming here for almost a week and we are not given a dose, my father is above 50 and he has not been given his first dose yet. They have been telling us every day to come after a few days. My father is a daily wage worker and he has to go out to work so we need him to be vaccinated for sure. They are not vaccinating people above 45, my chance stands very bleak,'' said Amarjit Kaur, a resident.
The daughter-father duo is not the only one who had to return disappointed from the vaccination centre. People in all the ten districts of Kashmir valley are facing the same problem. From daily wagers to Government employees, everyone is waiting for vaccines to arrive so that they can get their Jab.
"They are saying there is no vaccine, we asked them to tell us when it will arrive, they are saying for the next one week they have no idea when it will be available. On one side the Government says get vaccinated and on the other, there are no vaccines available,'' said Ruhi Jan, a government employee.
However, the office of Lt Governor has said that ''A timeline has been set of 10 days for 100 per cent vaccination of above 45 age group with the first dose in all the districts of Jammu and Kashmir''. But the situation on the ground is completely different.