Special college vaccination drive gets slow response in Pune

The special college vaccination drive has received a slow response from the college staff and students in Pune as only 1,463 people have gotten their jabs through the drive

Pune: The special college vaccination drive has received a slow response from the college staff and students as only 1,463 people have gotten their jabs through the drive. Out of this, 1,425 were first dose beneficiaries and remaining were second doses.

A student gets Covid vaccination jab during a drive held at the college campus in Pune. Special college vaccination drive gets slow response in the city. (HT)

A total of 19 colleges have participated in the drive and had their teaching and non-teaching staff benefit from the drive. The drive was started with the aim to vaccinate both teaching and non-teaching staff and also students with the vaccine as the district administration allowed reopening of colleges post Dussehra.

Although the absolute numbers have been low, a significant percentage of the people who have gotten their vaccine through the drive have been those who took the dose for the first time. Majority of the beneficiaries were also aged between 18-45, the youngest of those eligible to get the vaccine. Dr Suryakant Deokar, PMC immunization officer said, “Many of the beneficiaries are first dose beneficiaries however all of these beneficiaries are not necessarily from Pune and so it could be that students who have come from outside districts and those who couldn’t get the vaccine in their district took it through this drive.”