Covid-19: Over 2 lakh people skips 2nd jab in Palamu

DALTONGANJ: Around 2,00,000 beneficiaries in Palamu district are skipping their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine though the requisite time gap is complete, district civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar said on Friday.
Dr Kumar highlighted that the number was about one lakh a few months ago. “The increasing number of people skipping their second dose is a great concern for us,” he said.
In Palamu, Covaxin and Covishield are administered to the beneficiaries and while Covaxin has a gap of 28 days between the shots, the time gap for Covishield is 84 days. In the district, beneficiaries of both the vaccines are found delaying their second jabs.
District epidemiologist Anup Kumar Singh said 14,18,455 people from 18 years and above are eligible for the vaccine. Out of the total, 8,48,551 have taken their first dose and 4,52,337 have taken both doses. The remaining 3,96,178 people are yet to take their second dose. Of those waiting for the second dose, the time gap for two lakh beneficiaries is already crossed.
The civil surgeon said there is also no guarantee that the total of 1,96,178 beneficiaries who are waiting for the second dose will turn up.
Notably, the Centre has set a target of 95% first dose coverage by December 25 and Jharkhand has so far vaccinated 66.07% of its population with the first dose which is far below the national average of 76%. Additional chief secretary (health) Arun Kumar Singh had sent a letter on November 22 to all the DCs to expedite the number of the vaccination in their respective districts.