Second dose coverage at only 26% in GB Nagar

Amid the efforts by the Uttar Pradesh government to increase the second dose coverage in the state, only about 26% of the recipients eligible for the second dose of Covid-19 in Gautam Budh Nagar have received the shots, according to the data from the district health department. The data also shows that nearly 45% health care workers (HCWs) – who had taken their first shot – have not turned up yet at the inoculation centres for their second dose.

GB Nagar district magistrate, Suhas LY, said that out of 1,589,815 eligible population for vaccination, as many as 1,482,651 people have taken at least one dose till Thursday evening, which is 93% of the total eligible population. “However, in terms of giving both the shots, the performance of GB Nagar district is not very encouraging. So far, both the doses have been administered to 391,060 persons in the district, which is about 26% of the beneficiaries eligible for the second shot,” he said.

The district immunisation officer, Dr Neeraj Tyagi, said that out of 29,630 health care workers, who were registered for the inaugural phase of vaccination against Covid-19 in January this year, as many as 2,154 HCWs are yet to take their first jab in the district.

“Not only that, among 27,476 HCWs – who had taken their first shot – as many as 12,764 have yet not turned up at the inoculation centres for their second dose. A survey by the district health department has found that the maximum number of absentees among them are nursing staff, who have either shifted to some other place or have put in their papers,” he said.

In order to increase the number of individuals fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the UP government on August 10 had ordered that all Saturdays starting August 14 will be reserved for those needing their second shot. The order would be applicable at both government and private vaccination centres, the government said.

Tyagi said that the highest number of vaccinations has been done in the age group of 18-44 years so far with 1,208,706 doses, which is 64.5% of the total doses administered so far. “The overall doses administered in the district till Thursday evening are 1,873,711. While 423,973 of these doses have been administered to the age group of 45-60 years, the remaining 2,41,032 have been administered to beneficiaries above 60 years,” he said.

“Of the total doses administered so far, 1,154,104 doses have been given among the male beneficiaries, while the remaining 718,937 were administered among the females. The percentage of adverse effect following immunisation (AEFI) cases reported in the district so far is 0.001%, much lower than the state’s 0.003% and national average of 0.006%,” Tyagi said.