BHOPAL: The immunisation programme has another challenge in its plan to achieve full coverage of the eligible population by December: Hesitancy.
Reluctance or complacency is leading to a delay in the completion of target, despite availability of jabs.
“They were not vaccine hesitant, but are turning out to be vaccine apprehensive,” said a district immunisation officer. “It is taking place. For instance, when a person has been administered the first dose.
The beneficiary had a fever or some reaction. These people are showing complacency in coming forward to get the second dose," he added.
In the case of Bhopal alone, around 35% of people who are eligible for the second dose, are yet to get fully inoculated.
“Confidence, convenience and complacency all contribute to delay,” said a health department consultant. He cited instances of the first round of vaccination, where in remote areas people were provided transportation for getting vaccinated.
Eighty-four days on, the number of sessions has increased. The expectation is that these people will come out on their own to get the second jab.
The higher the vaccine coverage, the faster will the goal to break the chain of infection can be reached.
Experts also point out a strong correlation between desire to get vaccinated and prevalence of the infection. For 6,26,27,673 doses administered in Madhya Pradesh, the value of AEFI is low, at 0.002%.
