At least 1.41 lakh missed Covaxin second dose within six weeks

At least 1,41,319 individuals in Tamil Nadu didn’t get their second dose of Covaxin within the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-advised window of a most of six weeks as on June 13, an evaluation of the State’s vaccination information confirmed.

According to the ICMR, the second dose will be taken from 4 to six weeks of getting the primary dose. If those that didn’t get the second dose within the minimal required window of 4 weeks is taken into account, the quantity is as excessive as 1.74 lakh.

The State had obtained a complete of 16.82 lakh doses of Covaxin from the Union authorities and thru its personal procurement until June 9. Of these, the State administered 11.55 lakh first doses and 5.05 lakh second doses until June 13.

For the evaluation, May 2 was taken because the reference level. A six-week interval is from May 2 to June 13. Ideally, as per the ICMR pointers, individuals who took Covaxin on May 2 should have taken their second dose by June 13.

Consequently, the whole variety of the second doses administered until June 13 have to be at least as excessive as the primary dose administered until May 2. However, whereas the State administered the primary dose to six,46,408 individuals as on May 2, it administered the second dose to solely 5,05,089 individuals as on June 13. The distinction of 1,41,319 is, due to this fact, the minimal variety of individuals who didn’t get their second dose within the six-week interval.

The precise quantity may very well be increased as the whole second doses administered until June 13 could embrace many individuals who took their first dose after May 2.

The progress of the administration of the second dose additionally confirmed that it was not proportionate to the sharp rise within the administration of the primary dose up to now couple of weeks. This may imply the variety of individuals lacking their second dose may go up increased because the vaccination good points tempo.

Giridhara R. Babu, Professor and Head, Life Course Epidemiology, on the Indian Institute of Public Health, Bengaluru, mentioned that whereas no information had been out there on the efficacy of Covaxin, if the second dose was taken past six weeks, it was higher nonetheless to take it even when it was delayed. He mentioned the federal government should due to this fact prioritise second doses and do micro-planning to enumerate these in want of vaccination and affiliate them to a vaccination centre in order that they may very well be simply tracked.

Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan mentioned there have been two classes of people that missed their second dose — those that didn’t flip up and those that had been prepared to take the dose however there was no inventory on the vaccination centre.

“To resolve both, we have asked all Deputy Directors in the districts and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to prioritise the second dose for those who missed owing to the non-availability of the vaccine,” he mentioned.

“To trace those who did not turn up, we have asked [the authorities] to take the list of persons who missed the second dose and contact them for their second dose. We are also doing awareness campaigns on the need for taking both doses,” he mentioned.

He added that with the gradual easing of vaccine provide anticipated from the second half of June, individuals in want of the second dose wouldn’t face any scarcity.