Nagpur: The number of Covid-19 vaccine beneficiaries has gone down in the week gone by despite continuation of Vaccination In Your Locality in city and Vaccination In Your Village in rural parts of the district for the second consecutive week.
The combined number of inoculations in 98 centres of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is nearly equivalent to that in one private hospital where vaccination of 18-44 age group is going on.
Officials and office-bearers say not much eligible people from 45-plus category are left to be vaccinated and hence the numbers going down.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) continued Vaccination In Your Locality between May 31 and June 5, which was the second week.
It was implemented for the first time between May 24 and 29.
On the same lines, zilla parishad (ZP) continued Vaccination In Your Village drive.
As per state’s public health department data, 22,888 healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) and 45-plus took the first/ second dose in the district between May 31 and June 5, for a daily average of 3,815.
The numbers also include some from 18-44 age group, who took the second dose of Covaxin on June 4 and 5.
The number of beneficiaries was 12,108 (daily average 2,018) in the city in this period.
First dose of 18-44 years age group is not allowed at the 98 centres managed by the NMC.
During the first week of the drive, May 24 and 29 i.e, 25,200 HCWs, FLWs and 45-plus took the first/ second dose in the district for a daily average of 4,200.
Between May 17 and 22, 41,706 were jabbed for a daily average of 5,958.
Also, 22,591 were administered the vaccine on May 13, followed by 12,180 on May 14 and 24,379 on May 15.
Since then, the numbers have dropped to less than 5,000 per day.
Kingsway Hospital started vaccination in the same period, but for 18-44 group.
During the same period, the hospital has vaccinated 10,500 people for a daily average of around 1,750.
Officials in NMC, ZP and ruling party leader in the civic body Avinash Thakre said, “The falling numbers indicate that not much eligible people from 45-plus remain to be vaccinated.
Total 8.16 lakh people from 45-plus have been vaccinated.
1.95 lakh HCWs and FLWs also took the jab, of which many are from 45-plus category.
Around 3.3 lakh people were infected with Covid-19 in the second wave from third week of February to end of May.
Majority of these are from 45-plus group.
Whoever left are availing the benefit.
Therefore, government should resume vaccination of 18-44 group.” However, public health department data projects different scenario than claimed by the officials.
The government had estimated district population at 52,72,665 and around 30% (15,81,800) in 45-plus group.
In all, 8,15,443 (51.55%) from this group have taken the first dose as on June 5.
Thus, 7,66,357 are remaining.
Still, only 13,586 persons from 45-plus group took the vaccine between May 31 and June 5 for a daily average of 2,264.
The NMC and ZP are running 221 centres.
Each centre can easily inoculate 300 in a day, for a combined total of 66,300.