Door-to-door drives planned to widen booster coverage among elderly in Maharashtra

PUNE: State health officials are set to launch door-to-door vaccination drives in June and July to improve Covid precaution-dose coverage among the 60-plus population. Currently, the coverage in this age category stands at 73% in the state.

The campaign, officials said, was planned after the health ministry on Friday directed states to intensify precaution-dose drives among the elderly.
Central officials told TOI that the drives will give preference to senior citizens who are eligible for the booster dose.
One central official said, "We want to accelerate coverage among those who're vulnerable across the country. All states have been directed to scale up precaution-dose vaccination, especially for those who are in the 60-plus category. And these door-to-door campaigns will certainly help."
The states of Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra and Nagaland have been specifically asked to concentrate on increasing vaccination coverage in the age group.
Dr Ramaswami N, commissioner of Maharashtra Health Services, National Health Mission, said that the state will revive the 'Har ghar dastak' campaign not just for the elderly, but for other age groups as well.
"We will hold these drives by checking for those in the 60-plus group who have completed nine months after the second jab. We will also have camps at old-age homes, jails and other places. For other groups, focus will also be on vaccine camps at schools and colleges," he said.
State immunisation officer Dr Sachin Desai said there has been a dip in average daily vaccination across the state. "Recent daily vaccinations have been less than 1 lakh, which will increase if such intensified campaigns are planned in all districts," Dr Desai said.
Districts such as Washim, Gadchiroli, Buldhana, Nanded and Gondia have below 30% precaution-dose coverage among the 60-plus, according to a report that had data compiled till May 19.
Booster coverage among frontline workers is at 45.6%; it's 66.2% among health staffers. The two-month campaign will also include those employed at brick kilns and out-of-school children.
45 new Covid cases in PMR
The Pune Metropolitan Region recorded 45 new Covid cases on Saturday. There were zero deaths.
At least 32 cases were from PMC limits and another eight were from PCMC areas. Only seven patients are in hospitals while some 280 are in home isolation.