Chandigarh, Aug 14 (IANS): Citing a detailed state study which had shown excellent vaccine effectiveness against the coronavirus, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday directed the Health Department to gear up for full utilisation of the additional vaccine supply, of which he had been personally assured by the Union Health Minister.

Noting that more than half of the eligible population of the state had already receivedA one dose of vaccine, with the entire available stock being used without any wastage, the Chief Minister said he had, during his meeting with the Union Health Minister earlier this week, sought immediate supply of 55 lakh doses to inoculate Punjab's eligible population.

He had been assured of increased supplies, said Amarinder Singh.

Incidentally, the first dose of Covid vaccine has been administered to around 82 lakh people (40 per cent of state's eligible population) and the second dose to nearly 24 lakh people (11 per cent of eligible beneficiaries), which, said the Chief Minister, has the capacity to vaccinate 8 lakh people per day.

Stressing that there was no doubt regarding vaccine effectiveness, the Chief Minister urged all eligible persons to come forward to get themselves vaccinated.

As per a study to monitor Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness conducted by Rajesh Kumar, former head of School of Public Health, PGI, Chandigarh, it has been found that vaccine has been effective in reducing positivity by 95 per cent, hospitalization by 96 per cent and deaths by 98 per cent, the meeting was informed.

The total vaccine eligible population of the state stands at 21,603,083. During April-June 2021, the number of Covid positive cases, as per Cowin app, was 316,541, of which 1.8 per cent was partially vaccinated, 0.4 per cent was fully vaccinated and 80.1per cent was unvaccinated. The vaccination status of 17.7 per cent was missing.