Nearly 9,500 people get Covid jabs on Thursday in Delhi; turnout 51%

Nearly 9,500 healthcare workers received COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on Thursday in the third week of the inoculation drive, with a turnout of more than 51 per cent.

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

The targeted number for vaccination on February 4 was 18,300, officials said.

"Today, 9,494 people were administered coronavirus vaccine, and AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) was reported in 13 persons," a senior official of the Delhi Health Department said.

On the previous day of the vaccination drive, 7,365 healthcare workers had got the jabs, with a turnout of about 40 per cent.

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 the first day.

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).

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.

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield is being administered at majority of the centres, while Bharat Biotech-made Covaxin doses given at the remaining 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.