Even as Mysuru district has over two lakh doses of vaccines in stock to step up vaccination for achieving the target, there are about two lakh people who are yet to get their second dose even after completing the 84-day gap from their first dose.
This has caused some worries to the Department of Health, which is now holding a major drive on Friday to vaccinate at least one lakh people, mainly those whose second dose is due.
District health officer K.S. Prasad told The Hindu that 92% of vaccination coverage has been achieved in the case of first dose while the coverage is around 45% in the case of second dose.
“Despite availability of vaccines in the PHCs and hospitals, people are not coming forward to get their second dose despite completing the 84-day gap. We are now motivating them to get the jab on Friday,” he said.
Dr. Prasad said the entire staff of the department are on the job of achieving maximum coverage for protecting the people from the pandemic but the people, especially in the rural areas, are not coming forward for their second dose. “We are even doing door-to-door vaccination in the villages but the response has not been very encouraging.”
One of the reasons was the festive season as people, both in rural and urban areas, delayed their second dose because of the Dasara festive season. “They perhaps delayed it for the reason of side effects like fever, which could come in the way of their festive celebrations. Since the last 20 days, despite the festival, our health workers are continuing their efforts and managed to get one lakh second doses done. With the end of the festive season, we aim at achieving the target,” the DHO said.
Dr. Prasad said 600 booths will be operated across the district on Friday with 1,800 ASHAs connecting with people and motivating them to get their second dose. As many as 1,300 villages will be covered in the drive, he said, adding that nursing students from the district have been roped in for accomplishing the target besides the town panchayats, municipalities, and other departments.
Two booths
The list of beneficiaries who are yet to get their second dose is ready and given to the workers concerned with their phone numbers for meeting the target, he added. In Mysuru, each ward will have two vaccination booths on Friday.
Meanwhile, the special vaccination drive in Mysuru with the support of the Mysuru City Corporation managed to vaccinate about 10,000 persons. “We have done about 5,000 in the taluks on Wednesday,” the DHO said, adding that the drive in Mysuru city was done in all 65 wards.
