MADURAI: As many as 5.31 lakh beneficiaries in Madurai, including children and people aged above 12 years, were due for their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine as on Saturday.
This made the district the lowest ranked in south Tamil Nadu and third lowest in the state with 66.56% coverage for the second dose in adults aged above 18 years.
Over the past few weeks, especially with hardly any fresh Covid-19 cases reported across the state, daily turnout has been dull at vaccination sites.
"Beneficiaries keep trickling in at all vaccination sites. There has been no major improvement in numbers in the past few weeks. We are following up with the beneficiaries who are due for their second dose but it has limited effect. There is a sense of complacency among the public due to the decline in Covid-19 cases. A mega drive is being planned soon," said a health official.
Towards the end of March, Madurai district recorded around 57% coverage for the second dose, but since then as Covid-19 cases declined continuously, there has hardly been a 10% increase in coverage in the past two months.
The first dose coverage in the adult population in Madurai has also remained at 86%.
"I postponed it initially as I had suffered from Covid-19 in the third wave. Later when I could get the jab, I checked with nearby PHC and they asked me to come only in the morning to get vaccinated. But, since I have to go to work, it was not possible. It is time consuming to have to go and check every time," said a 43-year-old man owning a small business, who did not wish to be named.
At Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), which is among the largest Covid-19 vaccination sites in the state and is open 24x7, there are people trickling in throughout the day to get their second dose. "In the past week, only around 400 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the second dose alone. But, we do try to insist that patients and attenders visiting the hospital get vaccinated if they are due. We set up a booth even next to the CEmONC block, which often gets the most number of people visiting," said a senior doctor.
