BENGALURU: To ensure that all eligible beneficiaries are vaccinated against COVID, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Health Department have decided to hasten the process and set a deadline.
Accordingly, the Palike has decided to vaccinate all 15 to 18-year-olds by this weekend (January 23) and eligible adults -- who are yet to get the second dose -- within the next 10 days in areas coming under BBMP limits. BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Dr KV Thrilok Chandra told The New Indian Express that so far, 50 per cent of eligible teenagers have received one dose of their COVID vaccine.
"So far, 2.2 lakh beneficiaries aged between 15 and 18 have been covered and 1.5 lakh teens are yet to get the jab. For adults who are yet to take their second dose, a 10-day deadline has been set. In this category, 80 lakh people have been vaccinated so far and 12 lakh are still pending," he said.
Admitting that the pace of administering the precautionary dose (booster dose) has slowed down, Dr Chandra attributed it to the nine-month window between the second dose and the booster jab. A Health Department official, however, said that vaccine hesitancy is still prevailing in the population.
"People still need to be convinced to take the vaccine. We have now decided to get aggressive and vaccinate people," he added. Educational institutions have been told to vaccinate their students, while volunteers and resident welfare associations have been roped in to ensure that those eligible for the second dose are vaccinated.
"We are checking who are yet to take their second dose. Our staff will go to their homes and vaccinate them. With cases rising in the city, we have decided to strictly vaccinate all those eligible within the deadline," another health official said.