KOLKATA: The 18-44 years age group might be the latest entrant to the Covid vaccination programme, but the number of recipients from this category has already overtaken those in the 60+ age group in Kolkata.
According to the record on Wednesday, 5,62,078 younger people and 5,34,318 senior citizens have received their shots so far.
The younger crowd overtook the elderly a couple of days ago as even on June 5, the number of doses administered on 18-44 group was 4,42,439 against 5,17,688 on 60-plus one.
While the phase-III drive for the 18-44 age group started on May 1 nationwide, inoculation for 60-plus rolled out on March 1.
In Kolkata, the 18-44 drive took off on May 4 from a corporate hospital.
The government rolled out phase-III on May 11 from limited camps.
“The response from the young brigade has been overwhelming.
We have been inoculating the 18-44-year-old people exclusively at our hospital since May 4.
There has been not a single dropout and many have not been getting slots,” said Rupali Basu, managing director at Woodlands.
According to experts, apart from eagerness among the younger population, there are a few reasons for them overtaking senior citizens.
First of all, the younger population in India was bigger in size than the older one, said an expert.
Secondly, the priority groups in the 18-44 category, including vendors, hawkers, transgender community, government staff, lawyers, journalists and sex workers, pushed up the number of recipients.
Also, when the drive started for senior citizens in March, there was a lot of vaccine hesitancy, but when the programme was launched for the younger crowd, the second wave was at its peak and everyone wanted a shot, he said.
Like Woodlands, now most corporate hospitals have taken their drive to corporate houses, housing societies, clubs and associates, where the majority of recipients are in the 18-44 age group.
“Many getting inoculated in off-site camps are in this category.
They need the vaccine as they have to be out on economic activities,” said Rupak Barua, group CEO, AMRI Hospitals.
AMRI has administered around 80,000 doses in a month, 80% of whom were in the priority group.
“About 80% recipients here is aged 18-44 years.
We hope we keep getting seamless supply of vials,” said Simmardeep Gill, COO, CK Biral Hospitals CMRI.
The state is restricting the doses only to priority groups in this age category but is expanding the list.
“With the supply expected to go up by June, we will add more people on the priority list,” said a health official.