NEW DELHI: The Centre has urged states and Union territories to hold special camps on routes of various yatras as well as at office complexes, railway stations and schools and colleges for administering precaution doses of Covid vaccine to all aged above 18 years.
The 75-day 'COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava' to provide free precaution dose to all eligible population aged above 18 years at government Covid vaccination centres will commence on Friday.
In a virtual meeting with health secretaries of state and Union territories and NHM MDs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan urged them to give an intensive and ambitious push towards full vaccination coverage by inoculating all eligible beneficiaries and covering them with precaution dose, a health ministry statement said.
Being implemented in a 'mission mode', this special Covid vaccination drive is part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
The special drive is aimed at increasing uptake for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine among the eligible adult population, the statement said.
Bhushan highlighted that less percentage of precaution doses among population groups aged 18 years and above (8 per cent) and persons aged 60 years and above (27 per cent) is a cause of concern.
Those eligible for the precaution dose include all persons aged 18 years and above who have completed 6 months (or 26 weeks) from the date of administration of second dose.
In the meeting, states and Union territories were urged to implement 'COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava' for 75 days as 'Jan Abhiyaan' with massive mass mobilisation, through a camp approach, the statement said.
They were advised to organise special vaccination camps in the routes of Char Dham Yatra (Uttarakhand), Amarnath Yatra (Jammu and Kashmir), Kanwar Yatra (all states and Union territories of north India) as well as major melas and congregations.
Bhushan advised them to operationalise special workplace vaccination camps at big office complexes(public and private), industrial establishments, railway stations, inter-state bus stations, in schools and colleges etc.
In all such special vaccination camps, vaccination to be done mandatorily through CoWIN and vaccination certificate to be provided.
Ambitious district/ block/CVC-wise session plans need to be made for successful implementation of the initiative and to ensure that all eligible population is covered by precaution dose, the statement said.
The states and Union territories were also advised to do wide advance publicity of this initiative in print, electronic, social and mass media.
State health secretaries have been urged to undertake a regular weekly reviews of progress at the state level.
The states and Union territories were further advised to ensure that the available Covid vaccine doses are consumed in a timely manner and no dose expires in both government and private facilities, the statement said.
Highlighting that Covid vaccine is a precious national resource, states were requested to assess the requirement for the 75-day special drive as per the eligible population groups and inform to the Centre.
This would enable the health ministry to provide adequate doses to the states and Union territories that need them.
The principle of first expiry, first out shall continue to guide the Covid vaccination, the statement said.
The Centre has suggested states to ensure private vaccination centres providing Sputnik V vaccine reach out to beneficiaries for due doses -- both second and precaution -- while ensuring availability of the jab.
In a letter to states and Union Territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday said it has been observed that the uptake of precaution dose of Sputnik V is only 0.5 per cent of those due for it.
Stating that queries have been received by the health ministry about the precaution dose of the Russian vaccine, he referred to an e-mail to all states and Union Territories on May 5 mentioning that those who got two doses of the vaccine may be administered precaution jab using Component 1 of Sputnik V in private Covid vaccination centres.
Referring to a July 6 order, Bhushan said the interval between the second and precaution doses has now been reduced to six months or 26 weeks for all vaccines.
To increase the uptake of precaution dose of Sputnik V vaccine by beneficiaries who are due for it, the health secretary urged states to ensure the availability of the Sputnik V vaccine (Component 1) and the functionality of private Covid vaccination centres.
"Private CVCs (Covid vaccination centres), which were providing Sputnik V vaccine, may reach out to due beneficiaries to receive the due doses (both second and precaution dose).
Targeted communication may be established for the due beneficiaries of the precaution dose of Sputnik V.
"I look forward to your support so that benefit of precaution done is extended to all beneficiaries due or overdue for it," Bhushan said in a letter on Thursday.