Vax turnout below 6,000 despite 8L above 45 waiting for 1st ose

Nagpur: Covid-19 vaccination dropped below 6,000 in the district on Friday, despite over 8 lakh people from 45+ age group yet to take the first dose. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has plans to undertake microanalysis to understand reasons behind this decline, and ways to cover remaining eligible population.
On Friday, 5,449 healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) and 45+ people took the jab in the district. Of these, 3,793 beneficiaries were from 45+ age group taking the first dose.
There had been 5,231 vaccinations on Thursday, 5,756 on Wednesday, 7,439 on Tuesday and 9,539 on Monday.
As per data of state’s public health department, estimated population of the district is 52,72,665 and around 30% (15,81,800) are expected to be above 45 years. Of these, 7,80,205 (49.32%) people from 45+ age group have taken first dose as on May 21. Thus, 8,01,595 eligible people are remaining for vaccination.
NMC and Zilla Parishad (ZP) are running 221 centres, each can easily inoculate 300 in a day. Thus, total capacity of the centres in the district is 66,300. But number of beneficiaries has dropped below 6,000 per day.
Guardian minister Nitin Raut and divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar had given target of 20,000 inoculations per day.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI, “District is among top five in the state in vaccination. Still, 50% eligible people are yet to be vaccinated. I have instructed all ten zones to undertake microanalysis of ward-wise vaccination performance. We can target localities and selected sectors where coverage is less after microanalysis.”
The civic chief added vaccination performance is less in areas where low income group people are residing and also areas affected by second wave. “We are planning to give a push to vaccination programme in these areas. But these things will get clear and proper once we complete ward-wise microanalysis,” he said.
Ruling party leader Avinash Thakre said, “Majority of people from slums are not willing to take vaccine. We had to shift vaccination centres from some slums to other places. The same is the case with people above 70 years. We need to guide these people about advantage of vaccination.”
Thakre also said, “Some 3.19 lakh people from the district tested positive in second wave from March till date. They will have to wait for three months as per latest guidelines of the government. Majority of these affected people are from 45+ age group.”
NMC has also started two drive-in vaccination centres. The civic body had also launched special vaccination days for women and some sectors.