Booster dose: Jharkhand’s strike rate 2%, five dists score 0

RANCHI: Out of the 24 districts in the state, as many as five — Chatra, Koderma, Pakur, Sahebganj and Simdega — have zero per cent coverage of the precautionary dose among 60 plus with co-morbidities, while the state’s overall coverage of vaccination in this target group is barely 2% out of 6.50 lakh identified beneficiaries a week after state kick-started booster doses on January 10.
As per the figures available from the state health department, till January 16 night, state’s overall coverage of booster doses for 60+ with co-morbidities stand at 2% out of 6.50 lakh estimated population. In terms of numbers, only 9,972 have been inoculated with booster doses so far.
Only Ranchi and East Singhbhum, having an estimated beneficiaries of 57,423 and 45,200 respectively, have the highest overall cumulative coverage of 3%. Palamu, Deoghar and Dhanbad have 2% coverage, and 12 districts jabbed 1% of their targets.
Among the five laggard districts, out of 20,549 eligible people, Chatra vaxxed 79 people, Koderma 44 out of 14,113, Pakur 47 out of 17,742, Sahibganj 25 out of 22,671 and Simdega 42 out of 11,814 — putting their cumulative coverage at zero per cent.
According to health department officials in Ranchi, the overall slow rate of booster dose coverage is probably due to the ongoing phase of viral diseases due to weather vagaries. “Due to the abrupt change in weather and extreme cold conditions, majority are suffering from cough, cold even if it is not effectively Covid-19 infection. Since the elderly people are more vulnerable to weather vagaries, this could probably be the reason behind the slow rate of coverage,” said Dr Rakesh Dayal, state vaccination officer. Specially talking about districts with zero per cent coverage, he said, “The elderly people must be primarily at wait and watch mode in those districts.”
Agreed an official of Chatra district health department stating that in rural hinterlands, there is always lot of hesitancy for any kind of vaccination. “Even as we did and are continuing to do lots of awareness drives to motivate people to take both doses of vaccine, many are now asking why should they take third dose when the government initially said that two doses will be sufficient. We are now finding it difficult to explain to the elderly people, mostly illiterate in rural areas, why the third dose is required,” he said.