Tirupati: People show reluctance to take precautionary dose of Covid jab

Tirupati: The precautionary dose of Covid vaccine was not getting the desired response from the people and the erstwhile Chittoor district could complete only 65 percent of the target so far in the age group of 60 plus population. However, about 90 percent of the frontline and healthcare workers have taken the precautionary doses. Though the precautionary dose is given only after nine months of taking the second dose and the figures vary from time to time, in total, the percentage of people taking the third dose has been coming down.

Though health department officials have been appealing to eligible beneficiaries to take their third dose of Covid vaccines also people were somehow reluctant to go for it. While some people were hesitant some others are expressing their doubts over the efficacy of booster shot. Officials were of the view that people are not showing concern for booster dose as the Covid cases have come to almost zero now.

In fact, the vaccination drive of first two doses went off well on expected lines in the erstwhile Chittoor district since January 16, 2021. According to the Chittoor district immunisation officer Dr P Raviraju, among the 12-14 years category, 99 percent of the children covered with vaccination. He said the district is having sufficient doses of vaccine to administer the precautionary doses.

When people get messages, they should go to the nearest vaccination centre and take the booster shot without any hesitation. He said people in the age group of 18 to 60 years have to take their precautionary doses at private hospitals only and the government is not giving it free of cost. On the other hand, several people have been facing problems with the Cowin app as they could not get certificates after the vaccination.

Such problems have been heard even after almost one-and-half year since Covid vaccination was started. While some people were getting two certificates though they take one dose only, some others could not get any certificate even after completing two doses and the Cowin app was not showing their records.

Some others were getting precautionary dose certificates though they did not go for it at all. Such people were alleging that as they expressed their unwillingness to take the third dose, the staff concerned have been entering their names in the website to complete their targets. "If I want to take the third dose sometime later, how can I? The staff may say that you have already taken it and I will forgo my chance," commented a woman, who received a precautionary dose completed message without actually taking it.