NEW DELHI: Only 56% of healthcare workers and less than 50% of frontline workers have been fully vaccinated so far and the coverage is worse in many states, the Centre said on Thursday while expressing concern over the poor coverage almost five months after the vaccination drive began on January 16.
The Centre also highlighted the “less than adequate” participation of the private sector in the vaccination drive.
Even as the Centre has earmarked 25% of vaccine stocks for private sector, it accounted for 4% of the total 42,279 vaccination sessions on Thursday.
Times ViewOne of the basic norms of mass vaccination across the world is that health and frontline workers should be the first to be inoculated.
The gap, though partly caused by their own initial hesitancy, is alarming.
Nonetheless, the state should vaccinate them on a priority basis since they work tirelessly every day in a high-risk environment.Vaccination issues were highlighted by health secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a review meeting with states on Thursday.
In 18 states, including Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi and Assam, the full vaccination coverage among healthworkers was lower than the national average.
Similarly, 19 states, including Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, have covered less than 47% (national average) of frontline workers with the second dose.