Tamil Nadu’s estimated population aged above 18 for COVID-19 vaccination coverage has been revised to 5,78,91,000. Earlier, it was 6.06 crore.
In a letter to Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan in September, Additional Secretary of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Manohar Agnani said the Ministry had been reviewing the vaccination drive and sharing the feedback with the States and the Union Territories. During these reviews, some of the States and the Union Territories had raised the issue of difference in the estimated target population communicated by the Government of India and those of the States and the Union Territories.
The issue was referred to the Office of Registrar-General and Census Commissioner for inputs and corrections, if any, in the estimated population. It provided a revised estimate of population in various age groups based on the ‘Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections for India and its States/UTs 2011-2016,’ the letter said.
Accordingly, the revised age-specific population for Tamil Nadu being used for analysis of vaccination coverage by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is 5,78,91,000 persons (18 years and above). Of them, 3,28,99,000 are in the 18-44 category, 1,45,73,000 in the 45-59 category and 1,04,19,000 are aged 60 and above. The State was requested to use these estimates for evaluating the performance of the drive.
The State’s earlier mid-year population (2020) of above 18 years was estimated to be 6,06,15,919 — 3,86,95,314 persons aged 18-44, 1,32,92,281 aged 45-59 and 86,28,324 aged above 60. Officials said that earlier, Tamil Nadu was following a slightly higher denominator based on the projections of the State Bureau of Health Intelligence. With the target population revised, Mr. Radhakrishnan said the above 60 years base had increased within the overall picture.
According to data available with the Health Department, 11,57,82,000 vaccine doses were required for the revised population of 5,78,91,000. The total doses supplied was 4,67,11,300. As of October 1, the first dose coverage stood at 62% (3,60,60,743), while the second dose coverage stood at 20% (1,17,58,635). In total, 4,78,19,378 doses were administered.
So far, the 45-59 age group accounted for the highest first dose coverage of 69%, while the second dose coverage stood at 27%. In the 18-44 category, 57% received the first dose, while the second dose coverage was 13%. Among senior citizens, 42% received the first dose and 18% the second dose.
He added that the aim was to reach 70% first-dose coverage by this month-end in all districts.
