BHOPAL: With 89% coverage, Madhya Pradesh leads the highly populated states when it comes to administering first dose of Covid-19 vaccine. However, it is among low performing states in country when it comes to second dose vaccination. Reason: The slowed down vaccination in this month so far, data shows.
Out of an estimated eligible population of 5.5 crore, around 4.89 crore people have been administered with the first dose of the vaccine and so far 1.62 crore second dose of vaccines have been administered across the state.
Since a large portion of population has been administered with the first dose, majority of the vaccine doses that are being administered are second doses, officials said.
So far in this month, only around 16.88 lakh doses have been administered in the state. It averages to around 1.8 lakh vaccine doses per day. However, if target of fully vaccinating each and every eligible individual is considered, at least 3.8 lakh vaccine doses need to be administered everyday in the state. It would be only after this that the entire eligible population could be vaccinated by the end of 2021.
Sources within the health department said that there is no shortage of vaccines. However, there are a few reasons that are impacting the vaccination as of now. Firstly, it is harvest season and even after motivators reaching them, people are avoiding citing urgent time-bound field works. Moreover, this is season of festivals. Earlier there was ‘pitrapaksha’ and now Navratri is going on. As such, a large number of people undergo fasting. Thus it is being expected that vaccination will gain momentum only after the first fortnight of Octobersaid sources.
