PUNE: The state has given Covid precaution doses to 14.79 lakh senior citizens (those over 60), data has revealed. The precaution dose drive for this age group began on January 10.
Officials said Palghar, Mumbai and Thane now have the most number of elderly who have been given the third shot, followed by Pune. Nearly 70% of the state’s 60-plus population have now taken the precaution dose, but coverage has been dragging among health workers (66%) and frontline staffers (51%).
Last week, chief minister
Uddhav Thackeray had urged the Centre to make precaution doses available for all adults at government sites as well. Currently, for the 18-69 age bracket, these shots are available only at private hospitals.
State officials said despite the good overall coverage among the elderly, there still are districts where less than 25% of elderly have been given precaution doses.
State immunisation officer
Dr Sachin Desai
said 10 districts have scored higher than the state average (70%), but 25 districts continue to lag behind. “Response mproved after the second wave. But some districts have not even touched 25% coverage,” Dr Desai said.
Data showed that Washim,
Gadchiroli
and Buldhana have less than 25% coverage in the 60-plus group.
State immunisation officials said the third-dose coverage in the elderly likely slowed due to widespread infections in the population during the
Omicron wave and some hesitancy.
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