PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan 18: As many as 9,972 precautionary doses have been administered in Jharkhand, which is barely 2% out of the 6.50 lakh identified beneficiaries a week after the state kick-started booster doses on January 10.
As per the figures available from the state health department, till January 16 night, out of the 24 districts of the state, as many as five districts including Chatra, Koderma, Pakur, Sahebganj and Simdega have zero percent coverage of the precautionary among 60 plus with co-morbidities.
Only Ranchi and East Singhbhum, having an estimated beneficiary of 57,423 and 45,200 respectively, have the highest overall cumulative coverage of 3%.
According to the health department officials, the overall slow rate of precautionary dose coverage is due to the ongoing phase of viral disease due to changes in weather conditions.
“Due to the continuous change in weather conditions and extremely cold conditions, the majority are suffering from cold and cough even though it is not effectively a corona infection. Elderly people are more vulnerable to sudden weather changes, this could probably be a strong reason behind the low vaccination rate among the beneficiaries of the precautionary doses,” a health official said.
On the issue of low vaccination among the third dose beneficiaries, an expert said that the vaccination is continuously taking efforts to vaccinate the people of the state and moreover the state government is continuously engaged in creating awareness to motivate people to take the vaccine.
“The people are now asking the health officials, especially in the rural areas of the state, why they should take the third dose when the government initially said that two doses will be sufficient. It has now become challenging for the health officials to explain to the elderly people, mostly illiterate, in rural areas, why the third dose is required,” an expert said.
