11% of Pune district’s eligible adult population fully vaccinated

PUNE As of Tuesday, July 6, only 11% of Pune district’s eligible adult population have been fully vaccinated, taking both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine

PUNE As of Tuesday, July 6, only 11% of Pune district’s eligible adult population have been fully vaccinated, taking both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

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Experts have suggested that it is important to ensure full vaccination to avoid a severe third wave or even stronger Covid-19 variants. The data also showed that senior citizens, aged above 60 years, were the first from the general population to become eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, and close to 50% of this vulnerable population has got the jab.

Of the district’s entire population of 11,748,636, 74.4% or 8,742,160 are eligible to get the jab. Of these 198,295 are registered health care workers and 269,811 are registered front-line workers. In addition to this, from the general population, 5,217,569 are from the age group 18-45, of which 34,906 have got the second shot, 2,362,651 are from the 45-60-year age group which forms 20.11% of the district population, of which 333,370 have got both doses; and of the 1,161,940 people from the above 60 years of age, only 406,335 have got both doses.

With more age groups and categories being declared as eligible for the vaccine, the gap between two doses has been increased from an initial four weeks to 12 week now. While shortage of vaccine supply has been one of the reasons to extend the gap between doses, less than 50% of the 60-plus age group which was first declared eligible among the general population has got both the doses.

The vaccination drive for 18 plus was started since May 1 in the state, while for senior citizens the drive began from March 1. The pace of vaccination for the senior citizens which was high in the first few weeks became sluggish. Most senior citizens who got the first shot since March, became eligible for the second shot in May. In April the city saw its second deadly covid19 wave, more severe than the first wave, most beneficiaries did not step out while some of the elderly population who got infected after the first shot, or did not take the first shot in March, would now be eligible only after three months of recovery.