The District Collector’s Office has made it mandatory for all visitors to undergo thermal scanning, and carry vaccination certificates or Covid negative reports in order to enter the premises. (Express Photo by Ashish Kale) Nearly 39 per cent teenagers in the 15-18 age group have been administered the first dose of Covaxin vaccine in Pune district in the last 10 days. Immunisation for this age group started on January 3. Till January 12, a total of 2,12,735 beneficiaries in the age group 15-18 got their first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine in Pune district, according to a state Health department report.
Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, assistant director (medical) Pune circle, which includes Pune, Satara and Solapur districts, said that presently they had a stock of 25,000 Covaxin vaccine doses and 3.25 lakh Covishield doses. “We are expecting another one lakh doses of Covaxin vaccine,” Dr Deshmukh said.
There are 5.53 lakh estimated eligible beneficiaries in this age group. Pune city Immunisation Officer Dr Suryakant Deokar said that their target in the city was 2.5 lakh and so far, 52,000 teenagers have been given the first shot of Covaxin.
However, response towards the “precautionary dose” to be administered among healthcare and frontline workers, and in the age group above 60 years, has been muted so far.
Health authorities expressed hope that the response will improve in a few days. “It is early days yet but we are making a strong appeal to beneficiaries, especially those in the 60 plus age group, to get the third dose,” said Dr Deshmukh.
There are approximately 4.5 lakh healthcare and frontline workers in Pune district. So far, a total of 22,290 beneficiaries have taken the precaution dose in Pune district since the drive commenced on January 10.
More than 2.19 lakh booster doses administered
State Immunisation Officer Sachin Desai said that presently, Maharashtra had 16 lakh Covaxin doses and more than 1 crore Covishield vaccine doses.
“We are hoping the response to precaution doses will pick up. Across the state, more than 2.19 lakh precaution doses have been administered. Of these, 81,855 were administered to healthcare workers while 49,802 were to frontline workers. Till January 12, a total of 39,830 beneficiaries in the 60 years and above age group got their precaution dose. Meanwhile, for a person who has had Omicron infection, the booster dose can be delayed by at least three months,” he said.
Dr Subhash Salunkhe, national Covid-19 task force member, has urged citizens to take the booster dose. “This will be helpful specially for those with co-morbidities,” he said.
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