Only 19% eligible children fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Maharashtra health officials keen on drives in schools, colleges

“We are not satisfied with the performance in this age group,” Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary (health), told The Indian Express.

Several officials said that they are keen on stepping up vaccination with camps at schools and colleges. “We have written to schools and colleges to allow us to vaccinate the beneficiaries. However the attendance in schools has been low,” Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, assistant health chief (Pune circle) that includes Pune, Solapur and Satara, said.

In Maharashtra, 58 per cent (34 lakh) of the projected beneficiaries (60.63 lakh) in the 15-18 age group have got the first dose and 19 per cent (11.47 lakh) both doses.

Among districts, though Pune, Mumbai and Thane have fully vaccinated more than one lakh beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group, percentage-wise they fall far behind. Only 18 per cent (1.01 lakh) of the eligible population (5.53 lakh) has been fully vaccinated and 60 per cent partially vaccinated in Pune while the corresponding figures in Mumbai are 17 per cent (1.03 lakh) and 50 per cent of the eligible population (6.12 lakh). In Thane, 1.18 lakh have been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, in Sangli, 55 per cent of the eligible children (78,879 out of 1.44 lakh) have been fully vaccinated and 72 per cent partially vaccinated. In Bhandara, 32 per cent of eligible children (59,568) have been fully vaccinated.

India kickstarted Covid-19 vaccination drive for children aged between 15 and 18 on January 3 with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine.

The state has over the weekend received 17 lakh Covaxin doses which have been distributed to various districts. Around 1.5 lakh doses have been sent to Pune district, Dr Sachin Desai, state immunisation officer said. Beneficiaries could either register themselves on the CoWin portal or walk in and get their registration done.