BENGALURU: Benglauru Urban district has achieved 129 percent first dose coverage and 100 percent second dose coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine. Taking to Twitter, Health Minister Sudhakar said that Bengaluru Urban, excluding Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is the first district in Karnataka to achieve this and congratulated health workers and the district administration for the feat.
At a press meet, Bengaluru Urban DC J Manjunath said that the target was 10,32,000 and in the first dose coverage, 129 percent (1326255) has been achieved. As for second dose coverage, it is at 10,34,184.
"The target is based on a projection of the 2011 census. Many people came to Bengaluru Urban from BBMP limits to avoid queues and also from neighboring districts of Kolar, Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagar. We covered workers from the industrial areas of Bommasandra, Jigani and others to reach the 100 percent target," Manjunath said.
Before the drive began, dry runs were conducted and data was collected on the number of government, private hospitals, their infrastructure, manpower and beneficiaries. On January 16, the drive took off for health workers, followed by frontline workers on February 2 with vaccination further opening up to those 60 years and above and 45 years and above with comorbidities on March 1.
"Paid vaccinations were facilitated between Narayana Health and nearby companies, industrial areas. On May 1, we expanded the drive to cover priority groups such as construction workers, street vendors and garment workers. In vaccination melas held routinely, Bengaluru Urban was always leading in terms of coverage. On August 29, we achieved 100 percent first dose coverage," Manjunath added.
To reach those who have not received one or two doses, the Har Ghar Dastak (door-to-door) vaccination campaign was launched on November 3 and regular meetings were held to monitor the progress. He said that around 8000 to 10,000 doses are given each day and SMS and calls from the control room and Primary Health Centre staff were made to those who were due for the second dose.
On a question about instances of people using a different mobile number for the second dose, causing the vaccination to be registered as a new first dose, he said such numbers are miniscule.
As per data shared by the government as of December 23, 7.30 am, BBMP's vaccination coverage is below the state average of 75 percent for two doses. The target population for BBMP has been set at 91,70,000, of which 91 percent or 83,65,931 first doses have been completed. As for second dose coverage in the Palike limits, the figure stands at 74 percent or 67,92,608.
Second to Bengaluru is Kodagu which has achieved 90 percent second dose coverage, followed by Mandya with 84 percent. The poorest performing districts are Kalaburagi with 60 percent, Raichur with 64 percent and Haveri and Ballari with 68 percent.