Booster dose: Only 7.6% jabbed, Chandigarh Administration ramps up drive

Tribune News Service

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, July 19

In a bid to increase coverage of the limited free booster dose against Covid-19, the Chandigarh Administration has started organising camps at large office complexes (public and private) and public places, including railway station.

Of the 8.43 lakh eligible adult population in Chandigarh, only 59,271 persons have so far availed of the third dose, which translates to 7 per cent coverage. The city had attained 100 per cent coverage of double dose vaccination in January.

In the recent changes introduced by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the gap between second and third dose had been reduced to six months. Almost all beneficiaries who had taken the second dose in Chandigarh have completed the mandated six months required for the third dose.

Amid a gradual rise in the number of Covid cases, Dharam Pal, Adviser to the UT Administrator, has directed the Health Department to initiate steps to reach out to citizens for maximum coverage. The free booster dose is available for a limited period of 75 days (up to September 30).

In a bid to boost the coverage, special workplace vaccination camps are being organised by the Health Department at large office complexes (public and private), industrial establishments, railway station, inter-state bus terminus, etc.

The Health Department is organising special vaccination camps on the premises of government & private offices; religious, social, commercial establishments, charitable institutions, market associations and at RWAs.

The UT Administration secretaries have been directed to ensure special vaccination camps are organised in their respective administrative departments by July 31. The Administrative Secretary has been asked to group smaller department in such a way that around 50 persons get vaccinated on any given day.

UT Health Secretary Yashpal Garg said: “We have adult targeted population of 8.43 lakh and will try to cover maximum possible people in the 75-day period of free booster dose facility.”

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