Vijayawada: The state health authorities would take up an intense awareness drive for the second dose of Covid19, as many who took the first dose are not keen on taking the second dose for varied reasons.
As per the data available with the state health department on Covid19 vaccination, as many as 33,779,250 people out of the targeted population of 39,522,000 received the first dose; meaning a coverage of 85.47 per cent.
Only 22,519,913 people got the second dose by registering a coverage of 66.67 per cent, and those who got both the doses of Covid jab formed 56.98 per cent so far.
The health authorities are having a gigantic task of persuading those who received the first dose and are delaying to have the second jab.
When the second wave of the Coronavirus peaked, claiming hundreds of lives every day in the state, people rushed to the Covid vaccination centres to take the jab. However, when the intensity of the spread reduced, many people stopped it at that.
Some people, after receiving the first dose, were infected with Coronavirus and avoided taking the second dose assuming that they developed adequate antibodies in their body and there was no need now for a second dose. Some people are under the impression that as the number of Covid cases has started coming down, they faced no risk anymore.
However, state health authorities say all the targeted people should take both doses of the vaccine without fail to avoid a third wave.
Health director Dr Hymavathi said, “We will take up an intense drive to educate and persuade all people to take the second dose as it boosts their immunity levels.” Meanwhile, nearly six crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered to the people in the state so far and nearly 43 per cent of the targeted population are yet to receive both doses of the jab in the state.
