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Karnataka logs 851 fresh Covid-19 cases, 15 deaths
Karnataka health and medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar said BBMP has administered over 10 million doses in Bengaluru so far.
Karnataka health and medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Tuesday that the government is working with a target to fully vaccinate the entire adult population by the end of November. In a video conference with deputy commissioners (DCs) and zilla panchayat CEOs of 23 districts, which are lagging behind in vaccination coverage, the minister said, “These 23 district administrations have been given a target to speed up coverage and complete the first dose for all by the end of this month. Target has been set to complete both the doses for all by November,” Sudhakar said.
Currently, Udupi (83.77%), Kodagu (80.93%), and Bengaluru (80.54%) have the highest rate of vaccine coverage. “The target has been set to complete both the doses for all by November. Progress and achievement on testing, setting up of oxygen plants, and other civil works were also discussed,” the minister said.
Experts, however, argued that the government’s claim is unrealistic. “We are still going at an average of 200,000 to 300,000 per day. It is a good number but at this rate, we won’t finish the entire population by November. While Bengaluru is showing higher numbers, in many districts, especially in north Karnataka, there is a shortage of vaccination. In these districts numbers (vaccine coverage) is below 50%,” said a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) member, who didn’t want to be named. “But at this rate, there is a chance that the entire adult population might get their first dose of the vaccination. Now, during the second wave, the number of deaths was the biggest concern. If we are able to provide at least one dose to the entire adult population, we will be able to blunt the impact of a third wave,” the TAC member said.
However, the health minister said that additional stock of the vaccine will be procured soon. “In August, we got 11 million doses from the Centre. Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and I went to Delhi twice seeking increased vaccine allocation for Karnataka and considering our request, the Centre has increased our allocation,” the minister said.
Sudhakar said BBMP has administered over 10 million doses in Bengaluru so far. “Our target is to make Bengaluru the first city in India where the entire population is fully vaccinated. We have directed the BBMP commissioner and other officials to work towards achieving this target,” he said.
On Tuesday Karnataka administered 401,000 doses of the vaccine according to the Cowin portal. So far, 46 million people have received the vaccine in the state, out of which 11 million people received both doses while 34 million people got the first dose.
