People in 18-44 age group to get free Covid vaccine in Mizoram — Minister

Aizawl, May 7 (PTI): The Mizoram government will provide Covid -19 vaccine to around five lakh people in the age group of 18 to 44 years for free, a minister said on Friday.

The state has already placed an order to purchase 10 lakh doses of the vaccine and will spend INR 30 crore for the purpose, health minister Dr R Lalthangliana said.

The government could not be able to commence the inoculation drive for people in the 18-44 years age group due to the “insufficient supply” of the vaccine, he said.

The Centre had announced a ‘liberalised’ policy making all adults eligible to get inoculated from May 1 and allowing state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from manufacturers.

“An order of the required doses has already been placed to the manufacturer. The vaccine maker has not been able to supply vials in time due to a surge in demand,” the minister said.

Altogether, 2,25,387 people have been inoculated in the state so far, and 47,778 of them received both doses of the vaccine till Friday.

The health minister said 15 oxygen concentrators and cylinders each have arrived in the state from Taiwan on Friday.

Besides, 60 oxygen concentrators were provided to the state by the Centre, he said.

Taking to Twitter, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said, “ThankYouTawian for your continued generosity providing us much needed oxygen concentrators & cylinders. Kudos MP (LS) Pu C Lalrosanga and Chairman Jonathan Lalremruata @IndiaFormosaFoundation. Taiwan has achieved much in the battle against Covid-19.”

“Much needed Invacare 02 Concentrators (60 nos) from Ireland were airlifted from @IAF_MCC base in Jorhat to cater the needs of people from my state #Mizoram. Thank you Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji,” he wrote on the microblogging site.

Mizoram on Friday reported 184 new coronavirus cases, taking the state’s tally to 7,147.

At least 108 people were cured of the disease during the day, taking the total number of recoveries to 5,459.

The state now has 1,671 active cases, and 17 people have succumbed to the infection so far.

Meanwhile, Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma, the state spokesperson for Covid-19, said that it was earlier announced that a 47-year-old woman, who was suffering from cancer, succumbed to the coronavirus infection, but this was incorrect.

Health officials assessed the cause of her death and found that the woman, who had contracted the Covid-19 infection, died of cancer, Lalmalsawma added.