The Telangana government on Wednesday, June 30, decided to extend the gap for the second dose of Covishield vaccine to 14-16 weeks after the first dose. This gap is more than that prescribed by the Union government, which had increased the gap between two doses from from 4-8 weeks to 12 weeks in May 2021. While the government's official stand is that it wishes to prioritise the first dose of vaccines, reports suggest that the move may have been prompted due to a shortage of doses in the state, due to lack of supply from the Union government. In its latest release, the Telangana government said that it will be prioritising the first dose of vaccines. In the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), 100 Government COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (GCVCs) will be in operation, administering the first dose of the vaccine to people who are 18 years and older.
In all other urban local bodies, 204 GCVCs will be in operation, administering the first dose. People under the GHMC jurisdiction and those in urban areas have to register themselves on the Co-Win platform to avail the vaccine, while in all 636 rural Primary Health Centres, the first dose will be given in a walk-in mode, the Director of Public Health (DPH), Dr G Srinivasa Rao said. According to the DPH, this arrangement would be available only till July 3, so he asked everyone to make use of the opportunity.
Meanwhile, Telangana recorded 917 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 6,23,510. Among the 6,23,510 cases, 79.9% are asymptomatic. Ten deaths were also recorded, taking the COVID-19 death toll to 3,661. According to the Telangana health department 44.31% of deaths were due to COVID-19, while 55.69% of them had died due to comorbidities.
On Wednesday, the GHMC recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state at 108, followed by Nalgonda at 71. Karimnagar recorded 66 cases; Mancherial 61; Khammam 58; Suryapet 57; Mahabubabad 53; Bhadradri Kothagudem 52; Rangareddy 43; Peddapalli 39; Warangal Urban 36; Medchal Malkajgiri 35; Siddipet 29; Jagityal 28; Rajanna Sircilla 20; Mahabubnagar and Yadadri Bhuvanagiri 19 each; Jayashankar Bhupalapally 17; Warangal Rural 11; Jangaon 9; Sangareddy, Vikarabad, Medak and Nagarkurnool 7 each; Kamareddy and Asifabad 5 each; Narayanpet and Nirmal 4 each; and Adilabad 2. Jogulamba Gadwal district in the state recorded the lowest of just one case.