Waning 3rd Covid wave principal cause for dipping interest in 3rd dose

The inclination to take precautionary jab doses and for vaccination among the 15-17 age group appears to have declined, with the waning third wave of Covid.

The rate of administration of precaution doses across all three groups of eligible people: healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged 60 and above has slowed since the state outbreak peaked in the state late January.

In the early stages of the third wave (between 11 and 17 January), vaccination rate among healthcare workers had registered a weekly increase of 96.30 per cent.

However, in the last seven days (9 to 15 February), the rate was 8.4 per cent. Currently, only 35.50 per cent of the target population of 8,98,717 workers has taken the precautionary dose.

For frontline workers, a weekly 115 per cent rate five weeks ago dropped to 7.5 per cent in the last seven days. Some 16 per cent of the target population of 8,69,700 people have taken the precautionary dose.

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Among senior citizens above the age of 60 with comorbidities, an initially weekly vaccination rate of 290 per cent has dropped to 15.7 per cent in the last seven days. Some 38 per cent of a target population of 15.31 lakh people have taken the third dose.

Dr Arundhathi Chandrashekar, director, National Health Mission, who oversees the vaccination programme, said complacency may be playing a role.

“Another reason is the fact that large number of people were infected during the third wave, which obviates them from taking a dose for a period of three months. However, it is essential that people finish the doses if they are eligible,” she said.

Officials fear that bringing such people back to the vaccination fold after such a long gap will be challenging.

“With the threat posed by a potential new variant, it is up to the public to ensure that they finish taking the doses,” Dr Arundhathi said.

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