About 25 lakh people in Telangana have not taken the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine even after the due date and they should take the shot without delay, a health official said on Monday. State Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao, who stressed on strictly following COVID-appropriate behaviour during the ongoing festive season to prevent a rise in cases, said about 72 per cent of the eligible population in the state have received at least one dose.
“The vaccination target in the population, those above 18 years of age in the state, is 2.72 crore. Already, 2.01 crore have been given at least one dose of vaccine. That is 72 per cent in our population have been administered one dose of vaccine. At least 38 per cent of those who have got first dose have received second dose,” he told reporters here.
As per the the special vaccination drive launched on September 16, about three to 3.50 lakh people are being vaccinated daily, he said.
The COVID-19 vaccination report said, as of 9 PM on September 9, 2,00,75,763 have received one dose, while 77,31,452 second dose. “…as per our information, 25 lakh people in the state have not taken the second dose even after the due date. These 25 lakh people should take the vaccine. Because, we can get full protection only after taking two doses,” he said.
The special inoculation drive is being conducted to cover those who have not taken the second dose and also for those who have not yet received their first dose.
The vaccines are being administered village-wise by involving Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), panchayat raj and municipal administration departments and others, he said.
As of Monday, about 30 lakh doses of vaccine are available in the state and the Centre is supplying vaccine doses as sought by the state government from time to time. Telangana reported 183 new COVID-19 cases today, pushing the tally to 6,68,070. The cumulative number of recoveries stood at 6,59,942.
The possibility of a COVID-19 third wave depends on people’s behaviour, Rao said. Saying that a third wave may not occur in the present circumstances, he said the concern of the state health department is that a situation of deaths taking place due to the virus should not occur.
The health department is taking all steps to ensure that the infection is controlled fully. The reasons for the virus remaining under control and a third wave not happening so far include the severity of virus waning, decline in susceptible population and increased vaccination coverage, he said.
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