A senior citizen receives a Covid vaccine at Fortis hospital in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) Frontline workers account for over half of the “precautionary doses” administered in Delhi to date.
Precautionary doses have been administered to 40,977 frontline workers, 25,319 people over the age of 60 with co-morbidities, and 22,759 healthcare workers.
When the drive had kicked off on January 10, frontline workers made up the smallest bunch to get the third dose with only 4,543 of them getting inoculated. Those above the age of 60 with co-morbid conditions received the highest number of shots on Day 1. However, their numbers have gone down gradually.
There are nearly 2,40,000 healthcare workers in Delhi, 3,50,000 frontline workers, and 3,80,000 people over the age of 60 with co-morbidities who are eligible for the shots. However, with Covid-19 cases on the rise, many of them will not be eligible to get it as there has to be a three-month gap between an infection and a shot, as per the Centre’s guidelines.
“There are many healthcare workers who have tested positive during the current wave. They will get their precaution doses three months later,” a district official said.
The officials, however, had expected a higher turnout of the elderly. “The centre estimates that nearly 20 per cent of the people over the age of 60 will have co-morbidities. There is no need for a doctors’ certificate as the beneficiary just has to say that they have been recommended a precaution dose. We more people to turn up to get these shots,” the official added.
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