About 2.41 lakh take booster shots in the past five days

KOLKATA: With the daily Covid cases going up in Bengal, there has been a recent trend among people to get the booster dose. Earlier people had a reluctance to receive the booster doses as the infection curve had almost flattened.

Around 2.41 lakh people have received booster doses in the past five days in Bengal while the total number of people who have already completed the booster remains around 42.42 lakh so far in the state.

According to the health department data, in the last week of June, only around 67,500 people had received the booster doses.

State health department officials and the doctors were concerned over the pace of the administration of booster doses in the state. They had also warned that infection rate might go up if people in lesser numbers take booster doses. The application of booster doses for Covid warriors and elderly citizens was started on January 10. In the first seven days since it started only around 12,000 people received a booster.

Incidentally, the Union Health ministry on last Wednesday revised the gap period for booster doses from the existing nine months to six

months for all eligible beneficiaries in India. State health department already directed all the districts to carry out doorto-door campaigns urging elderly people to take booster doses as many senior citizens were reluctant to receive boosters.

Fourth phase sentinel survey conducted by the health department said that around 75 per cent of those received vaccines are protected against Covid.

According to health department data, there are around 9 lakh people in Kolkata who are above 60.

State health department has given emphasis on immunization. As the daily infection in Bengal dropped to as low as 20, a perception developed among many that Covid infection might have subsided. As the cases suddenly jumped, the health department has asked the Chief Medical Officers of health in the districts to increase daily vaccination.