Over 6,500 people get COVID-19 vaccine shots on Tue in Delhi; turnout 80 pc


PTI | New Delhi | Updated: 27-01-2021 21:52 IST | Created: 27-01-2021 21:52 IST
Over 6,500 people get COVID-19 vaccine shots on Tue in Delhi; turnout 80 pc
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Over 6,500 healthcare workers received COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on Wednesday in the second week of the vaccination drive, as the city recorded a turnout of 80 per cent.

After a sluggish start, since the exercise was kicked off January 16, the inoculation drive has picked up pace in the last several days.

The targeted number for vaccination on January 27 was 8,100, officials said. 7408''Today, 6,545 people were administered coronavirus vaccine, and AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) was reported in 12 persons,'' a senior official of the Delhi Health Department said.

On Monday, 7,408 healthcare workers had got the jabs, with a turnout of over 91 per cent, the highest till date.

Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on January 16, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117, were administered the shots at 81 centres across the city on day one.

On the second scheduled day, the figures had stood at 3,598 (44 per cent of the target).

The sharp fall had come after one severe and 50 minor adverse effect cases were reported, on the opening day of the vaccination drive. The count on third schedule day was much higher, at 4,936 (48 per cent).

On Wednesday, the count was 100 at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, a senior doctor at RGSSH said. Figures from other hospitals were awaited. Counselling sessions conducted over the past few days, and the option to get vaccinated in advance even if the scheduled date is later, have helped in ramping up the number, the doctor said.

Various reasons were being attributed to the low turnout in the initial days, including some technical issues and apprehensions related to adverse events.

However, the government has maintained that no case of serious/severe AEFI is attributable to vaccination till date.

The district-wise distribution of total 12 AEFI cases on Monday were -- Central Delhi (3), East Delhi (0), New Delhi (0), North Delhi (0), North East Delhi (1), North West Delhi (0), Shahdara (2), South Delhi (2), South East Delhi (2), South West Delhi (0) and West Delhi (2), according to the data shared by authorities.

As per district-wise data shared by officials, 11 of the 12minor cases of AEFI were reported at sites where Covishield shots being administered, and one at a centre where Covaxin shots were administered.

With low turnout of healthcare workers on first two days of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had recently said the exercise is voluntary and a matter of ''personal decision'' for people whether to get a shot or not, but all efforts are being made to boost their confidence.

He had reiterated that this is a voluntary exercise and people are making their own decisions, as it's the initial phase.

The vaccine is to be administered in Delhi on four scheduled days of the week -- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It will not be given on Sunday and two others days of the week when other regular vaccination work will be carried out.

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield is being administered at 75 centres while Bharat Biotech-made Covaxin doses given at the remaining six facilities.

The Delhi government had taken measures like counselling and formal phone calls to raise the percentage of healthcare workers turning up for being administered COVID-19 vaccine.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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