Maharashtra is third among 5 states with maximum overdue second doses

MUMBAI/PUNE: Maharashtra is among the five Indian states with the highest number of beneficiaries overdue for their second dose, trailing Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, ministry of health and family welfare data has revealed.
Maharashtra has nearly 95.8 lakh people whose second shots have now been overdue by up to 2 weeks/2-4 weeks/4-6 weeks and over six weeks beyond the prescribed interval between two Covid vaccine doses.
The same number stands at 2.42 crore in UP and 1.1 crore in Rajasthan. Of Maharashtra’s 95.80 lakh overdue beneficiaries, 83.77 lakh people are overdue for a second shot of Covishield and 12.02 lakh people are yet to take their second shot of Covaxin.
As for Covishield, Pune has the highest number of people who haven’t taken the second shot (12 lakh), followed by Mumbai that has 6 lakh eligible for second dose. In case of Covaxin, Gondia has the highest number of defaulters (1,04,965) followed by Pune (81,616).
State immunization officer Dr Sachin Desai told TOI that efforts were in place to vaccinate all due for their second vaccine dose.
Dr Desai said, “The Har Ghar Dastak campaign has now been extended till December 31, while district-wise call centres have been started. Officials concerned are not just visiting the beneficiaries’ residences to remind them about their pending second doses, but are also giving them reminders on the phone through these call centres.”
Emphasising the role of full vaccination, virologist Dr Shahid Jameel said the government must consider bringing down the gap between the two doses of Covishield to 12 weeks instead of the existing window of 12-16 weeks as that wouldn’t minimize the efficacy of the vaccine.
Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, assistant director (medical), Pune circle, told TOI, “We have pushed up daily jabs administered to 80,000-90,000 per day in Pune district, which had earlier dropped to an average of 30,000 daily. We have nearly 800 vaccination centres going live every day and have ample vaccine stock and manpower. The main reason why beneficiaries due are not coming forward to get their pending shots is a reduction of Covid fear, despite the emergence of Omicron.”
Dr Deshmukh said by February-end next year, Pune was likely to complete all second doses, provided beneficiaries cooperated.
Dr Naveen Thacker, a paediatrician and expert on vaccination, said even if people have missed their due dates for the second dose, with the delay stretching up to several weeks, they should not think that taking the shot now (beyond the prescribed interval) would not help.
“International studies have shown that even longer gaps between two Covishield doses causes a good immune response, so due beneficiaries must hurry to get the second jabs as soon as possible, especially with the emergence of the new variant,” Dr Thacker added.
(With inputs from Sumitra DebRoy from Mumbai)