Fear, apprehension behind low turnout for vaccination: Govt COVAXIN SCARE

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday admitted that there has been a low turnout for vaccination due to fear factor and apprehension about Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN. There has been a deserted look at the vaccination centres in Mumbai and other cities while in rural areas, beneficiaries thronged vaccination centres.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that health workers feel that first someone else should take a vaccine then they will take and therefore a lot of people are not turning out for vaccination. “Yesterday, the state met 54 per cent of the vaccine target that is not the best but not unsatisfactory either. The CoWIN app is malfunctioning. The government is informing, educating, communicating and counseling over hesitancy,” he said.

On Wednesday at 267 centres, as many as 18,166 health workers were vaccinated which was 68 per cent. Since January 16, 51,660 health workers have been vaccinated. On Saturday, the vaccination rate was 65 per cent.

“There is a mentality among the health workers that first you get vaccinated and then I will get inoculated. There being counselled to overcome the fear factor,” said Tope. Further, the scepticism about the vaccine and the confusion created about the Covaxin is also the reason for the reason behind the low turnout. The low turnout was due to health workers work in shifts and they have cited difficulties in visiting vaccination centres.