Punjab’s estimates revised, now 21 lakh more to be vaccinated

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 21

Already lagging behind in the Covid vaccination race, the situation has got a little more challenging for the Punjab Government as the Centre has conveyed that the number of eligible persons is much higher than state’s original estimates.

As per revised Census data sent to the state government, against an estimate of 2.06 crore population in the 18 years and above category eligible for vaccination, the figure now stands at 2.27 crore. As the population falls in the eligible category for vaccination, the state has to vaccinate 21 lakh more people than its original estimates.

A letter written to the state government last week by the Union Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, said during review meetings, some states and UTs had raised the issue of a difference in the estimated target population communicated by the Government of India and the state estimates.

Following this, the ministry had referred the issue to the Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, for inputs and corrections, if any, in the estimated population.

Based on the latest report, the number of age-specific population for Punjab has been revised. Now, 18 years and above population, which needs to be vaccinated, stands at 2,27,38,000. In age-wise break-up, population falling in the 18-44 years category is 1,38,13,000; 45-59 years 50,96,000; and 60 years and above 38,29,000.

So far, the state has administered 1.8 crore vaccine doses and just 42 lakh people have been fully jabbed.

Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, state nodal officer for Covid, said the state was fully equipped to administer five lakh doses every day. “If we get regular supply of vaccine, the increased estimate won’t be a big problem,” he said.