Booster shot in need of a boost as citizens shy away despite Covid surge

Fewer than 20% have taken precautionary vaccine dose, with Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru accounting for a quarter of the jabs taken by the 18-59 age group

Covid-19 cases are on the rise again in the country, but the government, despite its best efforts, has not been able to convince citizens to get the precautionary third dose of the vaccine.

A Business Standard analysis found that until June 23, less than 20 per cent of those eligible had been administered the precautionary dose of the vaccine.
 

Of the 1.4 million doses administered on June 23, 452,600 were precautionary. Of these, over 100,000 were administered to the 18-59 age group, and 352,084 to those aged 60 and above as well as frontline and healthcare workers.

While 38.3 million doses have been administered to the frontline, healthcare and 60-plus category, the uptake in the 18-59 age group has been limited — barely 4.4 million doses have been administered to this age group.

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Further analysis shows that just three cities account for a quarter of the precautionary doses administration in the 18-59 category. Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru administered over a million of the 4.4 million doses.
 

Among states, five – Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana and West Bengal – accounted for 70 per cent of the precautionary doses given to the 18-59 age group. Bihar led at 27 per cent, followed by Delhi and Maharashtra at 15 per cent and 12.9 per cent, respectively.
 

In the 60-plus, frontline and healthcare worker category, the distribution was more even, though the three cities – Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru – accounted for a mere 5 per cent of the doses administered.

A state-wise comparison shows that Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra accounted for 46 per cent of the total doses given. Andhra Pradesh had an 11.7 per cent share, followed by Gujarat at 9.7 per cent.

India has so far administered the precautionary third Covid vaccine dose to only 3 per cent of its total population – far lower than the world average of 26 per cent.