KOZHIKODE: Only five districts have vaccinated 40 per cent of people in the above-45 age group till Saturday.Pathanamthitta, Kasaragod, Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad and Ernakulam are these districts, with Pathanamthitta covering 45 per cent of the targeted population.Ernakulam has the highest number of the targeted population in this age group (11,76,315) and Wayanad, the least (2,67,814). As of Saturday, 36 per cent of the age group was given the first dose in the state.
Mass vaccination drive had kick-started from April 8 after the sudden spike in cases but later lost the enthusiasm due to the exhausting stock. “In Wayanad, we are vaccinating 5,000 people in a day on an average through 45 camps. As of now, we have only less than 13,000 dosages of stock left, which will be exhausted in two days,” said Dr R Renuka, Wayanad district medical officer (DMO).
Apart from government health centres, vaccination drives are being held at selected schools, halls and church premises in Wayanad. The mobile squad is visiting prime spots and offering the vaccination facility. Those who have valid photo affixed identity cards are encouraged to undergo vaccination.
Speaking to TNIE, a health officer in Malappuram told that there is a severe shortage of vaccine in the district. “The general public has been reluctant to take vaccine before the election but the situation changed after it.
However, vaccine shortage is the issue now. A total of 160 camps are conducting vaccination daily. The government had not distributed vaccine in proportion to the population of the district,” accused the officer, who requested anonymity. Malappuram has 11,13,454 people who belong to the age group of 45 and above 45.