Fortnightly allocations: Cut in Covid vaccine quota if states fail to meet 70% second jab target

The Centre, in a move to ensure states dedicate 70% vaccine towards the second dose and curb vaccine wastage, told states on Tuesday that it would start deducting from their fortnightly allocations if they fail to adhere to targets on both these counts.
This was conveyed by the health ministry to all states at a meeting with health secretaries and National Health Mission directors of states, where it was reaffirmed that quotas will be allocated with a 15-day visibility.

The health ministry, while underlining the importance of maintaining a 70:30 formula to prioritise the second dose in the in the 45-plus age group, said: “Quantum of second doses below 70% (or first dose more than 30%) will be reduced from allocations of the next fortnight to the respective state/UT.”

In the first 10 days of the liberalised vaccination policy initiated on May 1, only eight states – West Bengal, Sikkim, Tripura, Kerala, Odisha, MP, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh — have maintained this ratio.

CoWIN Platform Being Modified
Andhra Pradesh conveyed that it has decided to use 100% of its doses for the second jab. The Centre made it clear at the meeting that 70% was only a floor and that states were free to dedicate more towards completion of the second dose.


Similarly, the number of vaccines wasted beyond the national average would be deducted from their subsequent quotas. The higher the wastage, the lower the allocation, the states were told. So far, the wastage for Covishield, according to health ministry data, had come down from 8% on March 1 to around 1% on May 8. For Covaxin, in the corresponding period, wastage fell from 17% to 6%. But for the purpose of allocation, official sources said, the Centre plans to follow 3.06%, a rough mean, as national average.

"All wastage more than the national average hereafter is to be adjusted from the subsequent allocations to that state/UT," stated the health ministry after the meeting. According to health ministry statistics, the highest wastage is reported from Haryana (6.49%), Assam (5.92%) and Rajasthan (5.68%).

On the vaccine front, several high caseload states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka are not following the 70:30 directive. Delhi, for instance, has the formula reversed – it is dedicating 29% to second shots and 71% to first shots. Rajasthan is following 40:60 formula.

The Centre is also modifying the CoWIN platform to help the states in allocating vaccines. The states can download a ‘Second Dose Due Report’ to better plan the completion of vaccination of the target groups. "The District Immunization Officer and Covid vaccination centre manager can increase the session capacity according to demand (which was capped at 100) and can also visualise the target group in their upcoming sessions," the health ministry said in a statement.