Gzb fails to achieve target for vaccinating teenagers
GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad district has failed to meet its target of inoculating all eligible beneficiaries in the 15-18 age group with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine by January 31. Officials from the district health department said that they achieved 81.43% first dose coverage and 22% second dose for children.
The total 234,488 people aged between 15 and 18 years are eligible for Covid-19 vaccine in the district. The Covid-19 vaccination of teenagers had started on January 3 in the district.
During a Covid review meeting held by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on January 10, directions were given for 100% vaccination of all eligible beneficiaries 10 days before the date of polling. The Ghaziabad district went to polls on February 10 under phase 1 of state assembly elections.
According to the officials, the district has so far vaccinated 190,943 children with first dose, while 51,587 have taken their second dose. T
“We are trying our best to vaccinate more and more children, but there are instances where parents have not come forward to get their children vaccinated. Apart from door-todoor surveys, we are also running 64 static centres where Covaxin is exclusively available for children,” said Dr GP Mathuria, nodal officer for Covid vaccination in Ghaziabad.
“We have already conducted vaccination drives in 543 schools in the district. Still, the 100% target is yet to be achieved,” Mathuria said.
According to the figures of the Co-WIN portal, the district till Tuesday evening administered 5,573,246 doses of Covid-19 vaccine that included 3,106,170 first doses, 2,415,124 second doses and 51,952 precautionary doses.
According to the state government’s guidelines, children are being administered only Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin as it is the only vaccine with Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the 15-18 age group.
On Tuesday, Ghaziabad reported 41 fresh Covid-19 cases, which have taken the overall tally to 84,303 in the district. Now, the district has 293 active cases, according to the official data from the health department.
Experts said that the Covid cases are on a constant decline in the district and majority of patients have recovered.
“This emerging situation has led parents to believe that children may not need immediate vaccination against Covid-19. Further, the UP assembly elections may also have impacted the vaccination drive. But it is important that children receive vaccine and get protection against Covid,” said Dr Ashish Aggarwal, former president of Indian Medical Association (Ghaziabad chapter).