LUCKNOW: Almost 11 months after the mass immunisation campaign against Covid-19 was rolled out on January 16, Lucknow on Wednesday achieved the feat of having half of the adult population fully vaccinated with the two-dose vaccine course.
However, it will take another 3-4 months to cover the entire population aged 18 years or above with two vaccine shots against the target of accomplishing the task by December end.
Still, Lucknow is ahead of all the other UP districts in terms of number of vaccinated population.
Overall, 33,385 people were jabbed - 19,080 with the second dose and 14,305 with the first – on Wednesday.
This took the number of beneficiaries who have taken both the doses given 12-16 weeks apart to 18.8 lakh, which is over 50% of the total 37.4 lakh adult population eligible for vaccination in the district. The figure of those partially vaccinated with a dose rose to 14.5 lakh, about 39% of the population. These people will get their second dose after completing the gap period.
However, there are still 4.1 lakh people who have not taken any doses so far. Official estimates suggest that to cover leftovers and those requiring the second dose it will take at least 3-4 months, if the turnout remains the same as it has been in November.
Officers said that the daily vaccination rate increased steadily till September, but dropped in October and November due to several reasons, including festival season and hesitancy. Had the pace witnessed in September continued, the target of vaccinating the entire adult population would have been achieved by December end or January first week.
Chief medical officer Dr Manoj Agrawal said that efforts are being made to administer at least one shot by December end to the remaining population which has not received any dose so far.
This way, he added, Lucknow’s entire adult population will be covered with at least one dose.
