The daily booster dose inoculation rate in Assam has increased more than ten times since the government launched a free COVID vaccine jab drive for people aged 18 and up in government Covid vaccination centres (CVCs) last Friday.
According to health department officials, from 7,000 to 8,000 booster doses administered daily on average a month ago, the corresponding figure in the state has risen to around 90,000 in the last few days. While health officials previously blamed people’s reluctance as the cause of the slow vaccination rate, they now say the inoculation rate increased primarily due to fear of the virus.
“The fast-spreading virus seems to be the main reason why people are rushing to the vaccination centres now. We appeal to people to take the precaution dose at the earliest. A smooth flow to the CVCs, immediately after a person becomes eligible for booster dose, is necessary to ensure that the vaccination centres don’t become overcrowded,” stated Assam director of health services (family welfare),Kamaljit Talukdar.
According to state health department data, 89,968 booster doses were administered on Monday, with the corresponding figure reaching 89,161 by 4 p.m. on Tuesday. On June 20, a total of 9,400 booster doses were administered in the state, with the majority of recipients being 60-plus citizens, frontline and healthcare workers. Even though people over the age of 18 could get the booster shot in private hospitals at the time, health officials said the response was low.
BK Das, Kamrup (Metro) district immunisation officer, stated that the number of 1,500 precaution doses administered daily has increased to over 6,000 in the state capital since the start of the ongoing drive last Friday. “An estimated 70% of the beneficiaries, who are now taking the precaution dose in Guwahati are in the 18 to 59 age group,” Das added.
According to a government release, the state set a goal of vaccinating over 1.5 crore eligible beneficiaries with the precaution on the launch date last week. On January 10, the government began distributing booster doses to people over the age of 60 with comorbidities, as well as frontline and healthcare workers.
However, from March 16, all 60-plus citizens, irrespective of commodities, were covered. The booster dose became available on April 10 for people aged 18 to 59, but only in private facilities.