According to a national survey, three out of every ten people eligible for the precautionary dose of Covid-19 vaccine have not taken it so far because they have suffered from an infection in the last month, while another 30 per cent said they would take it after the Omicron-triggered third wave is over.
The remaining 42 percent are “unsure” or “hesitant” about taking the third or shot, according to a survey of 22,000 people who are eligible but haven’t yet taken it. In Maharashtra, the hesitant group is larger at 45 percent, with nearly 10 per cent stating unequivocally that they do not want to take the shot because it “isn’t helpful.”
So far, the precautionary vaccine drive, which began on January 10, has been slow, with 1.25 crore doses – or roughly 22 percent of those eligible – having received the shot. According to a Central Health Ministry estimate, there are 5.7 crore potential beneficiaries, including 1.05 crore healthcare workers, 1.9 crore frontline workers, and 2.75 crore comorbid people aged 60 and up.
Of the 42 percent who were unsure, 14 percent said they might not get the precautionary shot.
Only 5 lakh senior citizens in Maharashtra, where 1.25 crore are eligible for the third shot, have taken it in the last three weeks. However, state immunisation officer Dr Sachin Desai allayed concerns, saying that not all senior citizens become eligible at the same time. “They will be able to receive the shot nine months after their second shot. And we’ve noticed that people are taking the shot as soon as they become eligible,” he said, according to the report.
According to the dean of a medical school, the nine-month interval between two shots had slowed the pace of the precautionary dose. “Moreover, many of our employees were exposed to Covid and were unable to receive the booster shot as a result,” they said. Desai said approximately 15% of the eligible population has been infected with Covid in the last five weeks, and that this group would have to wait a few weeks longer, but that authorities were confident that they will take the shot because this group is aware.
A LocalCircles poll stated that 55 percent of the 2,000 people polled in Maharashtra want to take the shot. 34 percent had recently received Omicron-Covid, and another 21 percent said they would wait for the third wave to pass before taking the precautionary shot. In Maharashtra, 10% believe the precautionary shot is ineffective and do not intend to take it. “Around 8% of those polled had not yet taken any Covid dose,” said Sachin Taparia of LocalCircles.
Maha Cases on Decline, Health Min Says Covid May Enter Endemic Stage in State Soon
The number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra fell to a one-month low on Friday, with Mumbai city reporting fewer than 900 cases for the second day in a row. The state reported 13,840 cases, the fewest since January 3rd, when it reported 12,160 cases. Despite the fact that the number of reported Covid deaths has decreased, there has been a slight increase in the state. A total of 81 deaths were reported, compared to 75 the day before.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Friday said COVID-19 cases are declining in the state and the infection is likely to reach an endemic stage by March. Talking to reporters in Jalna in central Maharashtra, Tope said since the daily cases are declining, the government’s inclination is to further ease curbs. He said the state, which reported over 40,000 new cases on some days last month during the third wave peak, is now recording around 15,000 infections. The infection curve was clearly flattening in major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Raigad, the minister said.
“The cases are declining. We are likely to reach an endemic stage by March. We can see that some cities, which earlier reported less cases, are reaching their peak. But we are hopeful that they will come down soon,” he said. According to health experts, a disease reaches an endemic stage when its spread is limited to a particular area and its rate is predictable though it does not go way, meaning population there learns to live with the conditions.
Maharashtra recorded 48,270 coronavirus cases on January 21, 2022, the highest so far during the pandemic. Mumbai’s third wave, which started on December 21, 2021, peaked around January 7, 2022, when it recorded its highest-ever 20,971 infections. The new cases peaked in Pune, its satellite city Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Nagpur on January 21. On that day, Pune recorded 8,464 infections, Pimpri-Chinchwad 4,943 and Nagpur 3,659. Nashik city achieved its peak on January 19 with 1,946 cases.
Tope said the Centre must start the process of vaccinating children in the 12-15 age segment against COVID-19 and added Maharashtra was ready with the required health infrastructure to inoculate this group. Coronavirus-induced curbs will continue to be eased as the number of cases go down, the minister added.
With PTI inputs
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