Bengaluru, The Chief Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Gaurav Gupta, said on Wednesday that the civic body would focus on administering anti-Covid vaccine to those who are due for the second dose, given the shortage of vaccine supply in the city.

Gupta told reporters that as there is a shortage of vaccines, priority will be given to those who are due for the second dose and to those above the age of 45 years.

"Those between 18 and 45 years of age will be administered vaccine once there is an adequate supply of the same. So the youngsters need not throng the vaccination centres unless they already have a scheduled appointment," Gupta said after visiting the Dasappa Hospital near Town Hall where he reviewed the ongoing vaccination programme.

Responding to a question, Gupta said that there is no dearth of vaccine storage facilities in the city but due to low supply from the manufacturers, the government hospitals are bound to prioritise their available stocks.

He said all citizens must pre-register on the CoWin portal and visit the vaccination centres only after the schedule is fixed.

"This will prevent large gatherings at the vaccination centres. In addition, as there is a vaccine shortage in a few private hospitals, vaccination drives are being carried out only in some hospitals," he said.

According to Gupta, the state needs at least three crore vaccines to inoculate those aged 18 years or more across the state.

"The state government has submitted its purchase order based on this requirement," he noted.

Rebutting the allegations of Bengaluru labs facing shortage of swabs, Gupta said that there is no shortage of testing kits I the labs, and he has already issued a directive that people with symptoms, their primary contacts, and others who have come in close contact with them must get themselves tested immediately.