Chandigarh on Tuesday achieved 100% target of vaccinating its adult population against Covid-19 with both doses.
The Centre had set a target of 8.43 lakh adult people to be immunised in Chandigarh. As on Tuesday, 10,70,334 (127%) people, including migrants, have taken their first shot in the UT, while 8,43,011 (100%) have been fully vaccinated.
In the last one week, on an average around 2,450 adults were inoculated with the first or second daily, and the number went up to 3,051 on Tuesday.
The UT health department had achieved the 100% first dose vaccination target on August 15 last year, and planned to cover all adults with both doses by December 31, but the deadline was missed by a few weeks.
However, the target achievement does not imply that every adult staying in Chandigarh has been jabbed.
“The adults who got vaccinated in Chandigarh hospitals and vaccination centres include migrants as well. There are still some Chandigarh residents who are not fully vaccinated. In fact, it was learnt that some people who contracted the virus recently had not even taken the first dose,” said Dr Suman Singh, director, health services, Chandigarh.
Dr Singh said the target could have been achieved much earlier if people had not skipped their second dose despite completing the mandatory gap. “Also, some of the eligible people were isolated while some were hesitant to come forward in rainy and cold weather. We will continue the vaccination drive with the same intensity to cover all,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Dr Singh said the target could have been achieved much earlier if people had not skipped their second dose despite completing the mandatory gap. “Also, some of the eligible people were isolated while some were hesitant to come forward in rainy and cold weather. We will continue the vaccination drive with the same intensity to cover all,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, UT adviser Dharam Pal congratulated all doctors, nurses and healthcare workers for achieving the target. He said the administration is well-equipped to handle the ongoing infection surge.
Dept misses target to vaccinate kids
While achieving the target to fully vaccinate the adult population, Chandigarh is set to miss the target to jab the eligible children with the first dose. The health department had set January 26 as the deadline.
According to the Centre, about 72,000 children, aged 15 to 18, are eligible to get vaccinated in Chandigarh. Since January 3, the UT health department has vaccinated only 50,748 (70%) of them.
“We were expecting to meet the target, but not many children turned up at the vaccination camps set up in schools. We have stopped holding such camps,” said UT health secretary Yashpal Garg, adding that bad weather also slowed the vaccination pace.
Also, when it comes to precautionary doses, not many people are coming forward. Since January 10, only 2,765 healthcare workers (10% of the target), 2,685 other frontline workers (12%), and 6,624 (42%) comorbid senior citizens have taken the booster jab.
On Wednesday, vaccination centres at all health and wellness centres will remain shut owing to Republic Day holiday. Only GMSH-16, GMCH-32, PGIMER and civil hospitals will remain open for vaccination.