2 lakh people yet to get booster shot in district

Ludhiana: At a time when Ludhiana has been witnessing a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths, there are around 2 lakh eligible people who are yet to get the precaution dose in the district.
According to health experts, a booster dose could help avoid a severe infection.

Ludhiana civil surgeon Dr S P Singh said there are 70,000 to 80,000 people who have got the precaution dose and there are around 2 lakh eligible persons who are yet to get the same. He said even as the health department is creating awareness among people for getting their due dose, it is ultimately for people to come forward and get vaccinated voluntarily.
Officials said the health department can only make efforts for vaccination by providing information about vaccination sites and making vaccine available, but cannot force anyone to get their due dose as per Supreme Court order. Though there is laxity among most eligible persons for getting their due doses, especially the booster dose, they expect people to come forward and get jabbed now in view of spike in Covid cases and deaths.
As per the vaccination report of June 18, 77,440 persons have got their precaution dose. While administration of precaution dose for healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) and 60-plus persons had started on January 10, the process had started for 18-plus persons in private centres on April 10.
The data revealed that 31,82,666 had got the first dose and 23,68,332 eligible persons had got both the doses.
According to category-wise data, 40,878 HCWs have got the first dose, 37,147 the second dose and 14,935 have got the precaution dose. Also, 1,34,927 FLWs have got the first dose, 1,16,375 second dose and 22,540 have got the precaution dose.
In the 18 to 44 years age group, 19,51,862 persons have been administered the first dose, 13,50,653 the second dose and just 1,268 the precaution dose. In the 45 to 60 years age group, 6,80,831 persons have got first dose, 5,48,649 second dose and 2,367 precaution dose.
In the 60-plus age group, 3,74,168 persons have been given the first dose, 3,15,508 the second dose and 36,330 the precaution dose. As of now the children in the 12 to 14 years and 14 to 17 years age groups are not eligible for precaution dose.
Meanwhile, health experts have advised the eligible persons to get their due doses as early as possible. “There has been a surge in cases and deaths in the ongoing month. So it is advisable that people get their doses without further delay as vaccination has been found to decrease the severity of disease and ICU admissions,” said Punjab IMA secretary Dr Sunil Katyal, who is deputy director, medical services at a city hospital. He said vaccination doesn’t mean that people will not get infected, so there is a need to follow Covid norms — wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing — to avoid getting infected with the virus.