Focus on giving precaution shot of Covid vaccine to 4.7 cr elderly

New Delhi: The government plans to focus on administering precaution dose of Covid vaccine to 4.7 crore 60- plus population, due for it by July 31, under its ongoing door-to-door Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 campaign, officials said on Sunday.

Of the estimated 13.75 crore senior citizens in the country, 11.91 crore have been administered both the doses of Covid vaccine till June 3. Of the 6.67 crore beneficiaries in the age group due for the booster dose till July 31, 1.94 crore have taken the shot.

Besides, 1.04 crore of the total estimated senior citizens are yet to take the first dose of the Covid vaccine.

In 27 states, the coverage of precaution dose among 60 years and above is below the national average of 42 per cent.

These states include Nagaland (13 per cent), Meghalaya (15 per cent), Arunachal Pradesh (16 per cent), Manipur (19 per cent), Jharkhand (27 per cent), Punjab (24 per cent), Maharashtra (31 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (31 per cent) and Assam (29 per cent).

The second round of the door-to-door campaign to accelerate the pace and coverage of the COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 1. It is a twomonth-long programme.

The Union Health Ministry has asked states and Union Territories to focus on vaccinating all those due for the second dose and those aged 60 and above eligible for precaution shot through the doorto-door activity.