HYDERABAD: Even though the Central government is providing the Covid-19 vaccine free of cost for a specific time period, just four per cent of the eligible beneficiaries in Telangana have taken their third precautionary dose in the last 15 days.
Around 50,000 to one lakh people are getting inoculated on a daily basis while the State needs to administer around four lakh doses per day to complete the entire vaccination process in the remaining 60 days.
“We are trying to achieve at least half of that target,” said Dr G Srinivasa Rao, Director of Public Health. As per the announcement made by the Central government, the adult population will receive free third dose for 75 days. The process of administering this third dose started on July 16. Till July 15, four per cent of beneficiaries took the third dose.
In total, the State has so far administered around two million precautionary doses, covering just eight per cent of the population. The State government has also launched a special drive to expedite the process of administering the booster doses in the next 10 days.
“Though the infections are increasing, people are not turning up at the vaccination camps as not many are getting hospitalised,” Dr Srinivasa Rao said and added that the government has enough doses to cover all the beneficiaries.
Spl vax camps on request
The Director of Public Health said that the government is ready to set up vaccination camps at residential areas, offices and private institutions. For such requests, the citizens can call 040-24651119 & 9030227324, he said.