The district medical and health department is gearing up to increase the COVID-19 vaccine coverage exponentially to deal with any possible threat of a second wave of the pandemic.
Since the launch of the vaccination drive on January 16 this year, a total of 30,831 persons were administered COVID-19 vaccine across Khammam district till Wednesday, as per official data.
The number of session sites (designated vaccination centres) has been increased from 22 to 25 last week. The total number of designated vaccination centres now stands at 25, including 17 located in the government hospitals/CHCs/PHCs and eight in private hospitals, sources said.
Plans are afoot to open more vaccination centres mainly in the PHCs to increase vaccine coverage in line with the Centre’s latest decision to administer COVID-19 vaccine to all those above 45 years even those without co-morbidities from April 1.
The vaccine doses are being administered free of cost at the centres located in government hospitals both on online and onsite registration modes. An amount of ₹250 is being charged per dose (including the cost of the vaccine and service charges) at the designated vaccination centres in private hospitals.
The authorities have laid focus on creating greater awareness on the vaccination drive among all sections of society to extend vaccine coverage.
The slight rise in the number of daily COVID-19 cases in some mandals of the district in the past few days highlighted the need to accelerate the pace of the vaccination drive along with implementation of all the precautionary measures like wearing masks to avert a possible second wave of the pandemic.
So far, around 26,373 persons were inoculated at 17 designated vaccination centres in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
