The Nellore district health administration added yet another feather in its cap, vaccinating all the eligible teenagers on Saturday.
“All the 1.41 lakh persons in the age group of 15 to 17 have taken the jab by evening,” said Nellore District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) S. Rajyalakshmi, while overseeing the special vaccination drive at a time when the third wave of Coronavirus threatens to grip the State sooner or later.
The district has been the first in the State in providing first dose of vaccine to all the eligible persons in the age group of 18 years and above.
In neighbouring Prakasam district, vaccination of teenagers continued on a brisk pace. “So far 75% of the 1.79 lakh students have been provided with first dose of vaccine,” Prakasam DMHO P. Ratnavalli said. Prakasam district also had ensured first dose of vaccine to all persons aged above 18 years.
Meanwhile, all but one of the five Omicron cases had staged a smart recovery. “Four of the foreign returnees have been cured of the virus, while the fifth person has been taking treatment from home,” Dr. Ratnavalli said. The health staff had been fully geared to tackle any third wave of Coronavirus. As many as 49 hospitals — 19 government and 30 private hospitals — have been equipped with required medical oxygen and other equipment to meet any increase in the number of infected persons, she said.
COVID cases
Meanwhile, south coastal Andhra Pradesh saw 80 fresh cases in the 24 hours ending 9 a.m. on Saturday, taking the total number of active cases to 329 from 269 in the previous 24 hours.
The number of recoveries was four times lower than new cases as only 20 patients —11 in SPSR Nellore district and 9 in Prakasam district, were cured of the disease during the period, according to a health bulletin released by the State Government.
