Indore: Poor response to free precautionary dose; only 16% people take ‘third dose’ in city

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): People’s nonchalant attitude towards free vaccination for the precautionary dose in the city continues as only 16 per cent of the eligible population in the city has taken the dose. According to the health department’s records, as many as 28 lakh people are eligible for doses in Indore district—that is the adult population—but only 4.66 lakh people have taken the ‘third dose’, so far.

The national coverage of the third dose is also as low as 22 per cent and Indore is lagging behind the national average by at least 6 per cent.

However, the health department and the district administration will attempt another boost to the Covid-19 vaccination campaign through a mega-vaccination drive on Wednesday, which will be the last ‘free vaccination drive’ for the precautionary dose as the government has provided free precautionary doses of vaccination for 75 days, starting July 16, under ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

According to district immunisation officer Dr Tarun Gupta, they did not receive any update or orders for extending the free vaccination drive after September 30, so far.

The officials have also been providing cross-vaccination to people as a precautionary dose as people can take Corbevax as a precautionary dose even when they have taken Covaxin or Covishield as the initial two doses.

“We’ve administered some doses of Corbevax as a precautionary dose and it is available at the centres, including all IMC zone offices, on Wednesday (September 28),” Dr Gupta added.