Maharashtra: 56% of kids in 12-14 group given Corbevax 1st dose

PUNE: Two months into the Corbevax drive for the 12-14 age group, the state has recorded 56% first-dose coverage of the target population. The second-dose coverage is at 22%.

Vaccine coverage in the state has slowed across age groups, but officials said they expect numbers to improve in the 12-14 age bracket, once schools reopen after the summer holidays.
Nashik, Sangli and Ahmednagar currently lead in Corbevax coverage, while Pune and Mumbai reported numbers below the state average. (See graphics)
“Response has been the lowest in Mumbai. Pune, Thane and Nagpur too have reported low turnouts. The cities are seeing good coverage in other age groups, but focus should also be on the 12-14 bracket,” a health official said.
Covid-19 vaccinations among children had slipped substantially after the drop in cases but the situation worsened after the summer holidays began.
“We were unable to hold special camps in schools as they were shut. We’re hoping numbers pick up once schools reopen,” said state immunisation officer Dr Sachin Desai.
Low coverage has also increased Corbevax wastage in Maharashtra. The average vaccine wastage in the state is below 5%, but officials believe Corbevax wastage may be higher. A recent report by the health department said Corbevax net wastage in the state is nearly 9%, with some districts recording levels as high as 20%. Data showed that 15 districts had Corbevax wastage in the double digits, with Gondia at 20%, followed by Osmanabad (18.5%).
All vaccination centres have been told to open the 20-dose vials only after they have the adequate number of beneficiaries present. Once opened, a Corbevax vial has to be used up within six hours.
But one factor that could help Corbevax coverage is the short interval between doses.
“There’s just a month’s gap between doses. That, coupled with special camps at schools, should help change the scenario in major cities,” said a vaccination official in Pune. Another vaccination official with a city-based vaccination site said they are calling up families to ensure there are enough children present before a vial is opened.
“There is some hesitancy among parents as this is a new vaccine. We use data charts to tell them that many students have taken the shot,” the official said.
Authorities in Mumbai said exams, Covid trends and the summer holidays slowed their Corbevax drives. “Momentum slowed in March, when the number of Covid cases dropped. We tried to reach out to schools, but the response was not good. We’re now hoping turnout goes up in June,” said the BMC’s health officer, Dr Mangala Gomare.