16.4 mn people in Maha yet to take 2nd dose of Covid vaccines: Health dept

16.4 million people in Maharashtra are yet to take the second dose of coronavirus vaccines and the state health department is pursuing them to get jabbed at the earliest

Nearly 1.64 crore people in Maharashtra are yet to take the second dose of coronavirus vaccines and the state health department is pursuing them to get jabbed at the earliest to complete the two-shot course and ensure protection against COVID-19, a senior official said on Friday.

From December to mid-January, the state administered was administering eight to nine lakh vaccine doses daily, but the number has dropped significantly now, Dr Sachin Desai, in-charge of the state's immunisation programme, said.

Now, the number has dropped to 2 to 2.5 lakh doses a day. There are nearly 1.64 crore people who have missed their second dose, Desai told PTI.

Of the 1.64 crore people who have to take their second dose, 1.30 are those who have been administered Covishield, while the rest are Covaxin recipients, he said.

Desai said Nanded, Dhule, Nandurbar and Beed districts have recorded an immunisation percentage of 65 for the first dose as against the state average of 92-93 per cent.

For the second dose, these districts have recorded an immunisation percentage of 65, while the state's average is 72-73 per cent, he said.

Desai said the state has been undertaking different mass campaigns like 'Kawach Kundal' and 'Har Ghar Dastak' to improve inoculation coverage against COVID-19 whose third wave has now ebbed across the country.

According to state Health Department data available till March 10, Maharashtra has administered 15,73,09,386 vaccine doses so far.

In the age group of 15-18 years, which was added to the inoculation drive in January, 36,57,816 youngsters have been administered the first dose and 21,56,468 the second shot (this age bracket is administered only Covaxin), the data showed.

In the age group of 18-44 years, 4,87,80,677 beneficiaries have been administered the first dose, while 3,68,17,881 have received the second dose as well.

In the age bracket of 45-59 years, 1,83,26,040 people have been administered the first dose and 1,52,72,113 the second dose. In the age group of 60 years and above, 1,32,98,789 have been administered the first dose, 1,07,72,383 the second shot, while 9,72,107 people have received the precaution dose too, according to the data.

In the healthcare worker category, 12,95,132 have been administered the first dose, 11,85,590 the second shot, while 3,08,777 have received the third (or booster) dose also.

With regards to frontline Workers, 21,49,282 have received the first dose, 19,90,837 the second dose and 3,25,494 the precaution dose, the data showed.