E-Paper
Vaccination: Seniors lead in Haryana’s Jhajjar, Charkhi Dadri districts
Jhajjar has achieved 65% vaccination target among senior citizens, while it stands at 40% in the 45-59 age segment and less than 15% in the youngest category
Southern Haryana’s Jhajjar and Charkhi Dadri districts are witnessing a high proportion of Covid-19 inoculation among senior citizens, while younger age groups are lagging behind.
According to data received from the immunisation officer, the Jhajjar health authorities have vaccinated 2.26 lakh people, of whom 87,938 are above the age of 60 years. While around 78,000 people are in the 45-59 age group, 41,413 are aged between 18 and 44, who were the last to become eligible for vaccination. The remaining beneficiaries are health care and other frontline workers.
Similarly, in Charkhi Dadri, senior citizens lead with 67,000 inoculations, followed by 53,000 in the 45-59 age group and 35,800 in the 18-44 age group. In all, 1.65 lakh beneficiaries have been covered so far.
Jhajjar immunisation officer Dr Sanjeev Malik said they have achieved 65% vaccination target among senior citizens, while it stands at 40% in the 45-59 age segment and less than 15% in the youngest category.
“Our main focus is to inoculate more people above 45 years of age, but people are not turning up to get vaccinated in rural areas. Illiteracy, hesitancy and lack of awareness about the virus are the reasons. Response among the youngest age group has been poor too,” said Malik, adding that special vaccination drives have been conducted at Bahadurgarh and Beri, in which more than 450 people were jabbed in three days.
Charkhi Dadri immunisation officer Dr Ashish Mann said they have set a target to inoculate 1.33 lakh people above the age of 45, of which 1.20 lakh (90%) have already been jabbed.
Younger group catching up fast in Jind
Meanwhile, in Jind, beneficiaries in the 45-59 age group have pipped the seniors, while the youngest category is also catching up fast.
As compared to 64,692 senior citizens, around 49,000 people have got the jab in the 18-45 age group and 65,692 in the 45-59 age group. Immunisation officer Dr Navneet Singh said they are now focusing more on the younger age group, as it can motivate the elders to get vaccinated too.
“The number of those jabbed in this age group might be the lowest, but it was achieved in the shortest period of time as compared to the other groups. The numbers will rise fast as we are planning to start on-the-spot registration and vaccination facility for this age group from Monday,” he said.
