Only 79% vaccinated as Goa’s own deadline is 15 days away

PANAJI: With fifteen days to go for the state to achieve its target of partially vaccinating its entire population, it has over 2.5 lakh unvaccinated persons.
The state government will have to vaccinate 16,000-odd persons each day in order to meet the target it set for itself.

As on date 79% of the eligible population of 11.94 lakh, has taken at least one dose of the vaccine. Only 16.2 % is fully vaccinated and 62.7% partially vaccinated (only one dose).
Persons who tested positive during the initial days of the second wave have begun visiting vaccination centres to take their jabs. Several others who got infected in May and June are yet to complete the mandatory 84 days before they can get their jab.
State immunisation officer Dr Rajendra Borkar said that there remain no pockets of unvaccinated persons in the state. “Overall everybody is getting vaccinated, but if they had to come with more fervour, we would be happy. It’s voluntary, we cannot enforce it from the government’s side. If each institution takes the onus and gets their staff vaccinated, it will be wise, because the government as a rule cannot enforce it,” he said.
Around 20 pregnant women have taken the jab. “They are coming in increasing numbers, but the numbers are not up to our satisfaction,” he says.
The directorate of health services recently stated that 0.3% of the mortalities in the devastating second wave for whom information was available, were vaccinated, where majority were not.
Panchayats were involved belatedly in the exercise of ensuring their population and several booth level officers (BLOs) have now been put on election duty.
Door to door vaccination has been carried out in few areas with some health centres offering drive through vaccination which has benefited senior citizens and persons with disability.
The state government submitted to the high court that it would see how to proceed with door to door vaccination following which the state’s expert committee headed by GMC dean and Covid hospitals in-charge Dr S Bandekar at the committee’s fourth meeting on July 2 recommended house to house vaccination for bed-ridden persons and those genuinely physically unable to report to vaccination centres provided there were no documented listed contra-indications and in accordance with ministry of health’s guidelines.
The persons must be observed for any adverse effects following immunisation post vaccination for 30 minutes, the committee recommended and suggested that the government involve BLOs and health officers to ensure logistics and avoid vaccine wastage.
When asked about the progress, Dr Borkar said the ministry of health is yet to give a full go ahead for door to door vaccination.