COVID-19 Vaccination: 80% Urban Population Covered; Govt Focus Shifts To Rural Areas In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: With most of the urban population vaccinated against COVID-19 in the state, the government will now shift its focus to rural areas.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, Director, Health and Family Welfare Niranjan Mishra said 80% of the population in urban areas have been covered by vaccination. The government plans to speed up vaccination programme in rural areas to achieve the target of total vaccination to fight the pandemic.

On the status of the vaccination, he said about 1.71 crore people in Odisha have been vaccinated so far. Around 42.5 per cent of them have taken the first dose and 13% two doses. Around 80% of the vaccinated people are from the urban areas.

Mishra further said though the state government targeted to vaccinate 3.10 crore people in four months, it failed to achieve it due to the shortage of vaccines. “As soon as the Centre provides the required number of vaccines, the target will be attained,” he added.