The uptake of second dose COVID-19 vaccine continues to be slow-paced in Tamil Nadu. The number of persons who are due to get their second dose has reached 1.29 crore in the State.
Tamil Nadu’s eligible population for vaccination (18 years and above) is 5,78,91,000. As on March 1, 2022, 49,23,228 persons are yet to receive their first dose. However, the number of persons due for the second dose continued to rise and stood at 1,29,32,682 on March 1, according to the data availed from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said the State’s second dose coverage stood at 72%. “This needs to improve. Public should come forward to get the second dose. Majority of those who are delaying the second dose are senior citizens. We will continue our efforts to improve the coverage,” he said.
In Chennai, nearly 10.34 lakh persons were due for the second dose followed by Coimbatore with 7.80 lakh. Officials said Chennai, which has an eligible population of 55,30,900, has achieved 98% first dose coverage and 79% second dose coverage.
A number of districts like Madurai, Kanniyakumari, Dharmapuri and Ranipet had higher numbers of people who were yet to get their first dose when compared to Chennai and Coimbatore. For instance, in Madurai, 3.80 lakh persons were yet to get the first dose.
On the one hand, persons who have understood the seriousness of the disease have got both doses on time. Those who are eligible have also taken the booster dose. On the other hand, persons who had compulsions to get vaccinated such as mandatory double dose vaccination certificate for boarding trains (a rule that was withdrawn later) had also taken both the doses, a health official said and added, “Yet, there is still a group that is lethargic and complacent due to the lifting of restrictions and drop in fresh coronavirus infections.”
Additionally, there is also an element of low awareness levels where people get SMS from Co-WIN for the second dose but wait for camps to be held closer to their homes, he said and added, “The reasons for delaying the second dose varies from district to district. In some areas, elderly persons have delayed the second dose due to factors like a need for someone to accompany them or due to fear of crowds as there are higher chances of disease transmission.”
