Third jab for Tamil Nadu frontline workers from January 10

As only Covaxin was approved for vaccinating teenagers, Tamil Nadu has sent an indent to the Union Health Minister asking for an additional 10 lakh doses of Covaxin.
Image for representational purpose only. (Photo | AP)
Image for representational purpose only. (Photo | AP)

CHENNAI: Covid-19 vaccination for 15-17 age group will begin in Tamil Nadu from January 3, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Sunday. Speaking to reporters at Guindy, the Health Minister said booster doses for healthcare and frontline workers, and also for people above 60 years, with comorbidities will begin from January 10.

The minister said the 15-17 age group population in TN is 33.20 lakh. Frontline workers are 9.78 lakh and 5.65 lakh healthcare workers including doctors. Above 60-years population is 1.04 crore. Teenagers will be vaccinated in school camps and also at regular camps.

According to the data from Directorate of Public Health, 61,96,627 people (59 per cent) in the age group of above 60 years have received their first dose and 44,25,217 (42 per cent) received the second dose. With only 42 per cent fully vaccinated in this age group, the Health Department faces a challenge to administer booster doses for them.

As only Covaxin was approved for vaccinating teenagers, TN has sent an indent to the Union Health Minister asking for an additional 10 lakh doses of Covaxin. The State now has 29 lakh doses of Covaxin, and by January 3, it would have a stock of around 22 lakh doses, which is not sufficient to vaccinate 33.20 lakh teenagers, Subramanian said.

The State has administered 8.92 crore doses of vaccines so far, the first dose coverage is 85.71 per cent and the second dose coverage is 57.85 per cent.  

Coverage of first dose in TN 3% less than national figure: Ma Su

“The national coverage of the first dose is 88.59 per cent. TN’s is three per cent less. The State is taking efforts to compensate this in mega camps,” said Subramanian. In Chennai, where the above 18-years population is 55,36,900, the first dose coverage is 89 per cent and the second dose is 66 per cent – higher than national figures. In TN 95 lakh people are due for their second dose, the health minister added.

The State held the 16th mega vaccination camp across over 50,000 centres on Sunday and vaccinated 17,31,277 people, according to the health department data. While 5,17,126 received the first dose, 12,14,151 received the second dose.

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