JABS FREE FOR 18-45 AGE GROUP IN PUNJAB, HP GOVT HOSPITALS
Rate of fatality in 15-30 age group in the state is 1.4% against 3.4% last year, 4% in the 31-40 group as compared to 5.8% in the first wave
CHANDIGARH/SHIMLA: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday announced that vaccination in the age group of 18-45 years across Punjab will start from May 1 and it will be ensured that the vaccine is supplied free of cost in all government healthcare facilities. A similar decision was taken by the Himachal Pradesh cabinet in a meeting chaired by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday.
CHANDIGARH : The rate of youngsters succumbing to Covid-19 in Punjab has gone down this year when compared to the first wave in 2020, an analysis of the state health department’s figures till the week ending April 18 shows.
The trend is contrary to the claims that causalities have increased this time around. Those aged above 50 in the state continue to remain the most vulnerable in 2021 as well with data showing that 82% of the total fatalities were from the age bracket in the second wave.
Last year, 77% of the total deaths were from the age group.
So far, Punjab has witnessed 8,189 deaths of which 5,341 took place last year.
While the state’s case fatality ratio (CFR) in 2020 was 3.2%, it has come down by 1.8% in the second wave to 2.6%.
The trend of fatalities also remains almost the same during the second wave with 30.2% of those succumbing to the infection from the 61-70 age group compared to 28.3% last year. The rate among those aged above 70 is 29.8% as compared to 24% last year.
In the 51-60 age group, the fatality rate is 22.6% against 24.7% in 2020.
The health department’s figures show high positivity rate in the 15-50 age group even as fatality rate in this bracket came down to 17.5% compared to 22% during the first wave. The death rate in the 15-30 age group is 1.4% against 3.4% last year, 4% in the 31-40 (5.8% last year) and 12% in the 41-50 bracket as compared to 13.4% the first wave.