Patiala, November 12

To provide the much-needed boost to the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive, the district Health Department today launched the “Har Ghar Dastak” vaccination campaign. The aim of the campaign is to achieve 100 per cent vaccination coverage of the target population with the first dose and also administering the second dose by November 30.

The Health Department will be reaching out to beneficiaries in wards and villages to persuade them for the vaccination. The Health Department said that ASHA workers, along with other health officials, would be motivating beneficiaries to get the Covid vaccine as soon as possible.

It has been learnt that thousands of beneficiaries have not taken their second dose despite completing a required gap period of 84 days. Thus, the Health Department, along with the district administration, has started preparing a list of such reluctant beneficiaries to make phone calls to encourage them for vaccination. Besides, villages in the district are being identified where vaccination has been poor so as to give extra attention to these villages. The daily vaccination figures had dropped drastically over the past few weeks. The Health Department has blamed the festive season for dip in vaccination.

As per the Health Department data, 75 per cent of the targeted population, around 14 lakh, has received the first dose while 30 per cent of the beneficiaries have received both the doses. Dr Veenu Goyal, district immunisation officer, said they had administered around 14.72 lakh doses in the district so far. She said the campaign would provide a much needed boost to vaccination drive. “Both doses of vaccine are necessary for the complete protection against the Covid. People should immediately get the vaccine dose from their nearest health centre,” she added. — TNS