Coronavirus | Over 1 lakh vaccinated in Puducherry

The ‘Tika Utsav’ mass vaccination camp may be extended for a few more days, the government has said

Bank employees getting vaccinated at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry on Saturday.

Encouraged by the public participation at the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination camps, especially the ‘Tika Utsav’, the Puducherry health department has mooted extending the mass vaccination campaign by a few more days.

Over one lakh people have been vaccinated so far in the Union Territory, which has a population of over 14 lakh.

Since the vaccination started in January, the Health Department had administered COVID-19 jab to 1,06,982 persons, including 61,379 members of the general public, 28,959 healthcare workers and 16,644 frontline workers in the UT.

“The vaccination has really picked up in the last two weeks. In fact, during the first two days of Tika Utsav, more than 17,000 people have been vaccinated. The Utsav was supposed to close on Wednesday. After having seen the response however, the department has decided to extend the mass vaccination programme by a few more days. A final call will be taken by the Lt Governor,” Secretary (Health) T. Arun told

The Hindu .

The administration, on Monday, received 1.10 lakh doses of vaccine, the Secretary said adding that UT has enough stocks to hold mass vaccination programmes. “For the UT we don’t have any issues with the vaccine stock. Our aim is to vaccinate as many people as possible in the coming few days,” he said.

Of the 1.10 lakh new arrivals, 17, 000 doses have been already despatched to Karaikal region. For Mahe and Yanam, regions adequate stocks have been procured from Kannur and Kakinada respectively, he added.

Besides the healthcare and frontline workers, the health department has aimed to vaccinate targeted groups. Already hoteliers and bank employees have been vaccinated, he said adding in the next three to four days, autorickshaw drivers, PRTC employees, self help group members and petrol pump workers would be vaccinated.

Testing scaled up

According to a senior official in the Health Department, a decision was taken to ramp up testing to at least 5, 000 per day. After there was a huge reduction in cases a month ago, testing was in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 tests per day. Now it had been increased to more than 3,000 and would be scaled up further, the official said.

Even mobile testing units have been activated and they are doing RT-PCR tests. Special concentration would be in areas such as Lawspet, Reddiarpalayam and Muthialpet areas where a higher number of cases are being reported, the official said