Only 2 districts in division cross 50% mark in 12+ vax coverage

Nagpur: All districts in Nagpur division have been unable to amplify 12-14 age group Covid vaccination even after more than a month of school reopening.
The division has done well in speeding up booster dose drive for 18+ population with Nagpur ranking second in the state. However, the division could not cross 50% of the target even after four months of initiating vaccination for 12-14 age group. Only Chandrapur and Gondia have over 50% partial vaccination in this group.
As on August 5, the division’s coverage stands at 42.58% for first dose while it is 23.70% for second dose in this age group.
Chandrapur is leading the chart with 53% first dose coverage and 32% for the second.
Nagpur district is lagging at fifth spot with 35% of first dose and 17% of second dose coverage in the division.
Nagpur is ahead of only Gadchiroli, which has also not done well in other age group vaccination programme.
Nagpur has the highest number of eligible beneficiaries at 2.70 lakh in the youngest age population among the six districts of the division. Of these, close to 95,000 have received their first dose while over 46,000 are fully vaccinated.
The vaccination for this group had started in March with the mandatory gap between the first and second dose being a month.
The difference between first and second dose coverage explains sheer reluctance from parents and kids in getting vaccinated.
Local administration had been organizing counselling sessions and camps at schools and different venues to speed up the drive. Yet, these have been unable to get the desired results.
With just 30 day gap between two doses and low target, the division could have easily vaccinated fully the 12-14 age group with public support.
The reaching out campaigns did help to some extent in Chandrapur where health officials managed to take the numbers half way through. Chandrapur has the second highest number of beneficiaries after Nagpur in this age group. It has over 1.19 lakh eligible kids. Of these, over 63,000 have received their first dose and over 38,000 are fully vaccinated.
Gondia is the other district to cross the half way mark at 50.39% partial vaccination coverage. Bhandara and Wardha have around 48% first dose coverage.
Gadchiroli has been at the bottom with 32.41%. Remote areas and recent flooding due to incessant rain had brought the overall vaccination drive to a halt there.