THOOTHUKUDI
A large turnout of public at the 417 vaccination centres across the district and in the city limits resulted in inoculation of covid-19 vaccine doses to a majority of the beneficiaries here on Sunday. However, in remote locations in rural areas and in some sites within the Corporation limits, the vaccine stock was insufficient as many, who came after 10.30 a.m., could not get the shots.
While the health department officials said that they had sufficient stocks during the mega campaign held on September 12, that close to 74,000 people were vaccinated, they were taken aback as large number of public above 18 years turned up at the vaccination centres as early as 9 a.m. on Sunday.
The officials said that in Thoothukudi health district, 202 centres were designated, in Koilpatti 135 and in the Corporation limits, 80 centres were opened. However, the health department officials said that they had very little stocks in many centres as the arrivals were far from expectations.
In Tirunelveli district, a similar situation prevailed in many vaccination centres. At a PHC in Palayamkottai, a staff said that they received the regular numbers for which, they had exhausted by inoculating to beneficiaries till 10 a.m.
With the support of NGOs, vaccination doses were given to travelling people near Vannarpet flyover and people expressed satisfaction as Covaxin was available. Only Covishield was in short supply at many PHCs.
Senior Health department officials told reporters that all the PHCs received their regular quota of vaccines and from now onwards, they planned to place order for more number of vials on Sundays as the turnout was higher than the weekdays.
In Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts, the district administration had arranged the vaccine shots for travelling public at specially installed check-posts. The vigil was tightened after Nipah virus cases were reported in neighbouring Kerala. Only those who had RT-PCR certificates and vaccine certificates were allowed entry, an official at the check-post said.
Kanniyakumari Collector Arvind had recently told reporters that against the targeted 85,000 vaccine doses, they achieved a little over 75,000 in the September 12 mega campaign. Similarly, the officials in Tenkasi district were confident of stepping up the vaccination drive as people in the rural areas voluntarily came forward to get inoculated.
Overall, the four southern districts had a record of over 40 % who had taken the first dose, while Tirunelveli had marginally better vaccination of second dose than the other three districts till Sunday.
