The shortage of auto-disable syringes has marginally pushed up vaccine wastage rates in several districts in the last two months.
Even if the states cumulative wastage rate continues to be under 1%, a handful of districts have reported wastage in the range of 3% to 12%. The rates are higher forCovaxin compared to Covishield.
According to the last available data, Indias vaccine wastage rate was 6.3% in June.
Recent numbers compiled by the showed that the states wastage rate for Covaxin was 0.72%, while that for Covishield was negative (-1.09%). However, at least a dozen districts have a higher wastage rate than the state Average for Covaxin. Among them, Nandurbar touched a staggering 12% this month. In 14 districts, including Mumbai, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Jalgaon, the Covaxin wastage is negative.
Raigad saw a Covishield wastage rate of (2. 7%) and Yavatmal (2.6%). In nine other districts, it has remained between 1-2%, while in a dozen districts, the wastage is less than 1%. Mumbai, Palghar Ratnagiri are some of the districts that have a negative wastage rate (see box) for Covishield.