Health dept focuses on full vaccination

Coimbatore: The health department has intensified drive for the second vaccine dose after experiencing a lull in the recent days.

The department has instructed private firms and educational institutions to monitor people who are due for their second, but postponed it without valid reasons.

The city corporation has issued instructions to commercial establishments to make sure that the staff have received the second dose. Customers will be denied access to such places after initial warning.

The health department has appointed nodal officers in all blocks in the district to encourage people for the second dose. Staff are visiting industries, asking managers to encourage staff to get fully vaccinated.

The response to the mass vaccination drive was lukewarm. “People are not realising the importance of getting fully vaccinated, which has made intensified drives essential. We were expecting more people to turn up for vaccination, considering the Omicron scare,” deputy director of health services P Aruna said

Over two lakh people in the district are yet to take even a single vaccine dose. Eight lakh people are eligible for the second dose.

“Vaccination drives were intensified in the district in August and September, when an average 40,000 people were vaccinated daily. They are now eligible for the second dose,” the eputy director of health services said.