KOLKATA: More than 1.5 lakh people living in Kolkata did not turn up to take the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine within the stipulated deadline. The figure has triggered concern in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the state health department as well.
The KMC decided to prepare a list and communicate with each of those who skipped the second dose. Health department officials said ignorance and a wrong idea that Covid-19 pandemic is either under control or is over led to the poor show.
Altogether 68,826 people, who took the first dose of Covishield in January-February, did not turn up even after their stipulated deadline was over and 6,022 people, who were jabbed with the first dose of Covaxin during the same period, too missed their deadline and did not turn up at vaccination centres, said an official of the KMC.
“More than half the 1.54 lakh population, who skipped the second dose, are from the southern part of the state capital. In the recent reports, the spike in new Covid cases are high in south Kolkata. It appears to be because of high migration of people from the south Kolkata’s adjoining South 24 Parganas district,” said another official of the KMC. The civic body authorities said they would send the list of the people unwilling to take the second dose of the vaccine to the state health department.