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Vaccination drive slows down as Covid cases surge
PATNA Amid the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases, the vaccination drive in Bihar has slowed down in past one 10 days compared to early April when it was moving at a fast pace
PATNA
Amid the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases, the vaccination drive in Bihar has slowed down in past one 10 days compared to early April when it was moving at a fast pace.
Officials blame the slowdown on multiple factors — shortage of medicos at the vaccination centres and infections among health workers, fear among people about lining for hours at vaccination centres to get a jab and erratic supply of vaccines at district hospitals and primary health centres in last one fortnight though it has now stabilised in last few days.
In the last 26 days, the daily vaccinations to beneficiaries (aged 45 and above for both doses) have rapidly fluctuated, rising as high as 2.87 lakh on a single day on April 5 to the lowest count of 39,237 on April 16 and 53,311 persons on April 25, as per official data of daily vaccinations released by state health society.
From April 1 till 11 April, the total number of jabs administered were above 1.50 lakh per day on an average.
On April 5, the total number of jabs administered stood at 2,87,576. On April 10, it was 2,52,835. On April 11, it was 2,06,354.
However, after April 15, when corona cases started shooting up, the figures make for a dismal reading, hovering below the one lakh mark, except on April 20 when 1,04731 beneficiaries were given jabs.
On April 18, a day after Bihar saw a major spike in Covid cases with 8,690 detected on April 17, the number of vaccination was 84,475 while on 20 April, it was 93,164,. The number started declining once the Covid cases started spiralling.
“It is true the vaccination drive has slowed down. A probable reason seems to be the general fear among people against venturing out due to the surge in cases. This a proving as deterrent ,” said a senior health official,engaged in the vaccination drive.
“I get calls from people requesting me to give names of vaccination centres where there is less crowd. People these days do not want to spend more time outside for the fear of contracting the virus. We are also getting reports from some districts about general disinterest among people to get vaccinated. This another factor for less footfall at vaccination centres,” he said.
“There were certain issues regarding supplies of vaccines in mid-April which impacted rural areas. Besides, when footfall at a centre is very less, one cannot just open vials for one or two persons as it causes wastage of doses. For last one week, we have enough stocks and supplies are going unhindered,” shared another health official, seeking anonymity.
The number of peole getting second doses has recorded less fluctuations in the last 10 days, hovering between 15000 and 28000, as compared to figures in early April when the daily vaccinations for second doses varied in the same range.
In all, 67,46,734 people have been vaccinated in the state as on April 26, of which 57,23,496 got the first dose and 10,23,238 the second dose too.
Manoj Kumar, executive director of Bihar State Health Society, was not available for comment. A text message to principal secretary (health) Prataya Amrit did not receive any response.
Headline: The fightback
Intro: Inoculation drive in the state hit as Covid cases rise exponentially
Number of shots administered
Highest
April 5: 2,87,576
Lowest
April 16: 39,237
Reasons for slow pace
Fear due to rising Covid cases
Infections among health workers
Erratic supply of vaccines
