HYDERABAD: While the state has 83 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine on hand, 25 lakh people are due for the second dose. Concerned about their reluctance to take the dose immediately, the health department set up call centres in some districts to approach them and tell them about the importance of getting the jab.
The call centres will be reaching out to individuals who have not taken their second dose even as senior officials warned against any laxity on the part of those who are not inoculated yet.
According to health officials, since there has been no increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in recent months many people are under the impression that there is no need to take the vaccine right away. “This is wrong thinking. Doses must be taken before the spike occurs. People should know that dosages do not provide instant immunity as they take some time to settle down,” said Dr G Srinivasa Rao, director of public health.
Previously, the state administration had asked the central government to consider narrowing the gap between the two dosages of Covishield after the officials proposed that the current dosage interval between the two doses be lowered to 42 days from 84 days.
Senior officials, who recently met with representatives of the World Health Organisation, discussed the vaccine coverage. It was observed that there were over 30 lakh people in Telangana who have not received even a single dosage of immunisation.
Interestingly, when compared to the targeted eligible population to be vaccinated, Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts have a higher percentage of first dose vaccine coverage. While the targeted population in Hyderabad is 31,44,002, 32,94,100 first doses were administered, bringing the first dose coverage to 106%.
Similarly, in neighbouring Rangareddy district, against a target population of 23,28,538, almost 105% first dose coverage was seen. According to official sources, the higher coverage is most likely attributable to floating population and a higher population density.
Both districts are also ahead of the state in terms of second dose coverage, with approximately 67% (22 lakh people) in Hyderabad city having received their second dosage and 71% (15.5 lakh people) in Rangareddy district taking their second shot.
