Bhubaneswar: While dehiring beds in COVID facilities amid the continuing downward trend in new cases, the Odisha government has shifted its focus to increasing the vaccination coverage in the state.
The state is behind the national average in second dose vaccination, having a low coverage in Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Balangir, Sundargarh, Kendrapara, Khurda, Ganjam, Balasore, Bargarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts, where more than one lakh beneficiaries are due for the second dose. The collectors of these districts have been directed to achieve the target through door-to-door campaigns and micro-planning.
Since 18 districts are behind the national average in administering doses to adolescents aged 15 to 17 years, the government is also planning to prioritise it along with precautionary doses for the elderly, health and frontline workers.
The districts which have fallen behind in achieving the inoculation target are Puri, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Kendrapada, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Balangir, Keonjhar and Gajapati.
The CDMOs have been asked to conduct special sessions in schools and colleges in these districts, Director of Family Welfare Dr Bijay Panigrahi told TNIE.
So far, 3.28 crore people have received a single shot of vaccine and 2.79 crore administered double doses while 8.26 lakh people have been given the precautionary dose.
While 3.5 crore beneficiaries are in the age group of 15 years and above, 17.52 lakh people are eligible for the precautionary dose.
