Rajasthan: Over 49,000 got their first jab on Day 3 of 18+ drive

Jaipur: The Covid vaccination drive for the 18-44 age bracket continued on Monday, the third day since vaccination for this category started in the state.
As many as 49,628 people in this bracket got their first jab on Monday. Since the start of the phase on May 1, the number of those who got their first jab touched 78,293 and that too when the government has confined the drive to a few districts. However, the slot booking option has been confusing so far.
Youngsters in large numbers reached various districts to get their first jab and their vaccination has been mainly based on advance booking. “Unlike the vaccination for other categories, in which one just walked in with Aadhaar card, here you need to register yourself and choose the vaccination site and book the slot for yourself. It is strange that many who had registered are yet to book a slot,” Raghuraj Singh, nodal officer, vaccination told TOI.
Singh added that a few private hospitals are also offering vaccination by charging Rs 1,250. “Our’s is totally free as the state government has made provisions. Private hospitals are entitled to purchase the vaccines from the companies and are doing it on their own,” he added.
Of the 49,628 shots on Monday, 12,077 got their first jab in Sikar, followed by Alwar (6,022), Jaipur (5,735), Pali (4,814), Kota (4,749), Jodhpur (3,772), Bharatpur (3,419), Bikaner (3,168), Ajmer (2,518), Udaipur (2,332), Bhilwara (512) and 510 people got their first jab in Dholpur.
Also, the slot booking is being done by beneficiaries within some minutes of its opening. “Every district opens it as per their convenient time after completing the day’s work. At many areas, the slots were full within some minutes. We will try to open the bookings at the same time in various districts. In Jaipur, we start at 8.30pm every day,” he added.
Meanwhile, 1,69,396 people got vaccinated in the state in various categories, including health workers, frontline workers, 18-44 bracket, 45-59 and 60 and above. “Since the inception of vaccination in the state on January 16, we have given vaccines to 1.33 crore people in the state so far,” said an officer with the health department.