To ensure 100% coverage, Assam govt to begin door-to-door vaccination drive

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is in Delhi, said that a special drive will be conducted across all 42,000 polling booths in the state between November 22 and 27 where healthcare workers will visit each household to inoculate people.

The Assam government will undertake a door-to-door campaign to ensure 100% coverage of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, between November 22 and 27.

Assam has so far vaccinated more people than the other states. In terms of first dose coverage the state’s figures of 79% correspond to the national average. (PTI PHOTO.)

The state has so far vaccinated more people than the others; in terms of first dose coverage the state’s figures of 79% correspond to the national average.

On Thursday, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is in Delhi, said that a special drive will be conducted across all 42,000 polling booths in the state between November 22 and 27 where healthcare workers will visit each household to inoculate those left behind.

“The vaccination will be carried out on November 22 and 23, then the entire paperwork will be done; by November 29 we will have certificates issued by a gazetted officer on the first dose coverage and in the next three months a similar drive will be carried out for the second dose coverage. By February we will have certificates for the second dose as well,” he said.

The CM and the legislators will be assigned districts where they will visit polling booths as part of the vaccination drive.

On whether the government has come across cases of vaccine hesitancy, the chief minister said more or less all communities have been forthcoming, only some pregnant women have shown reluctance to take the jab. The authorities have already cleared pregnant women for getting the jab.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week launched the month-long Har Ghar Dastak or knock on every door campaign to carry out a special drive to focus on people who have not been vaccinated so far.

In a meeting with chief ministers the Prime Minister also referred to countering vaccine hesitancy by roping in religious leaders. He made a specific mention of his meeting with Pope Francis in Vatican City and emphasised how religious heads could play a significant role in addressing vaccine hesitancy.