Spreading vax awareness in TN

His death soon after had led to several conspiracy theories and social media campaigns against vaccination.

For representational purpose. (File photo | PTI)

The National Committee on Serious Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) has concluded that the death of Vivekh—a popular actor in Tamil Nadu and once one of the faces of the state’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign—two days after he took the jab in April was coincidental. The committee has ruled that the official medical reason for the 59-year-old’s death was a blockage of the heart and it had nothing to do with the Covaxin shot that he had taken. What created a mess for the state was that his vaccination had taken place in a televised event attended by several dignitaries, including the state’s health secretary. His death soon after had led to several conspiracy theories and social media campaigns against vaccination.

The news comes as a big relief for Tamil Nadu’s vaccination drive. That fact is that despite several efforts by the government, it is yet to pick up pace. While India celebrates the completion of 100 crore doses, the vaccine hesitancy among the urban poor and the rural community continues to be a reality in the state. As the fear of the third wave has nearly vanished, a feeling of being safe and complacent with one dose is palpable. On the flip side, the fear of side effects has kept many farmers and daily-wage workers off the needle as the farming season is underway. Despite mega vaccination camps, 74% of its adult population is yet to go for the second jab. The state lags behind the national average (29%) and all other South Indian states. The government is rightly focusing on those who are yet to receive their second dose after the mandatory three-month gap following the first one. According to TN’s health minister Ma Subramanian, as many as 57 lakh people are due for the second dose.

The state has managed to administer the first dose to 73% of its eligible population, marginally better than the national average of 70%. But this is much lower than the numbers lapped up by its southern counterparts. For TN, there is a long way to go and the government needs to pull out all the stops.