BHUBANESWAR: The timeline for the first dose mop-up vaccination for remaining healthcare workers in the State has been extended till February 25. The State had achieved 85 pc vaccination coverage in the first phase till Saturday.
As the districts failed to achieve 100 per cent Covid-19 vaccination coverage as targeted by the Centre, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare extended the deadline for the first phase.
This is the second time the timeline has been extended. The first phase vaccination, which was supposed to end on February 10, was initially extended up to February 13 as only 80 per cent of the frontline workers were covered.
The State government has directed Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers to closely monitor the vaccination drive and ensure all registered left-out beneficiaries are given the opportunity to at least get vaccinated twice.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said all districts were supposed to achieve 100 per cent coverage of first dose vaccination of healthcare workers.
The districts have been asked to convey the message to the remaining beneficiaries during session scheduling, he said and urged the workers to come forward and get vaccinated. Meanwhile, Odisha crossed the 80 lakh milestone in testing for Covid-19.