Amid a surge in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Ganderbal district for the last two weeks, the non-availability of vaccines has become a cause of concern among the people here.
A number of people eligible to receive the vaccine are not able to get the jab due to the non-availability of vaccines at the designated COVID vaccination centres anywhere in the district.
“I am looking for the 2nd dose of my vaccine since a week now but I am unable to get it at any designated COVID vaccination centres,” said Abdul Rashid, a local.
Similarly, several persons who had to be administered first or second dose of vaccines returned without getting a jab. Locals said that though earlier people were hesitant to get vaccinated, now there had been an uptake in the vaccination and people wanted to get vaccinated to prevent themselves from the dreaded virus.
Chief Medical Officer GanderbalDrMehraj Ahmed Sofi told Greater Kashmir that as of now there were no vaccines available.
He said that this was an issue throughout Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have almost covered 95 percent of the population of over 45 years in the first phase, adding that for the second phase of the age group between 18 to 45 years, we expect to receive the vaccines in a few days,” DrSofi said.
Around 1130 active cases of COVID-19 are active in Ganderbal district.