Centre says 43 mn Covid vaccines in stock after shortage alarm

Amid Covid vaccine SOS from several states, the Centre has reiterated that there was no shortage and the country has more than 43 million doses in stock or in the pipeline. States, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand, complained that they are facing a shortage of vaccines. Reports emerged from several other states that vaccine centres were shutting early or turning people away due to supplies running out. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan called for “an end to fear mongering” and shared a chart that showed that 91 million doses had been administered, 24 million were in stock and another 19 million were in the pipeline.