Tamil Nadu seeking free intranasal Covid vaccine for GHs: Minister

VIRUDHUNAGAR: Health minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday told reporters that the state has requested the Union government to supply iNCOVACC, intranasal Covid-19 vaccine, free of cost to government hospitals for administration as precautionary dose.
"We have a stock of three lakh Covid-19 vaccine - 2.6 lakh doses of Covaxin and 40,000 doses of Covishield. The union government has stopped supply and manufacturing of the vaccines.
We are prioritising vaccination of frontline workers, elderly and those with co-morbid conditions. The state has achieved 96% vaccination for the first dose and 92% vaccination for the second dose.
The union government has introduced the intranasal vaccine only at private vaccination centres. Under the guidance of chief minister MK Stalin, the state has requested the Union government to provide the intranasal vaccine free of cost to government hospitals.
Those who have taken Covishield and Covaxin can take the intranasal vaccine as a heterologous precaution dose," Subramanian said.
The minister inaugurated medical services and a few buildings at Virudhunagar government medical college hospital, in the presence of minister for revenue KKSSR Ramachandran and minister for industries Thangam Thennarasu. The 500-bed hospital with six storeys has been established at a cost of 168.7 crore, and has 12 specialty departments and five super specialty departments. A total of 150 first year MBBS students are studying at the college and white coat ceremony was held for them.