Centre cites `serious concern` for low vaccine coverage of second dose among healthcare workers

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday termed the low COVID-19 vaccination coverage among healthcare and frontline workers a cause of “serious concern” especially for the second dose. The Centre advised the states and Union territories to prepare effective plans to expedite the second dose coverage among these priority groups.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level meeting with the states to review the progress of innoculation drive and highlighted that while the national average for the first dose administration among the healthcare workers (HCWs) is 82 per cent, for the second dose, it is only 56 per cent.

Also, the coverage in 18 states and Union territories, including Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Assam, is below the national average in this aspect, the health ministry said a statement reported PTI.

The statement encouraged walk-in sessions for the 18-44 age category if the “onsite-dose 2” capacity is greater than zero. The states were advised to widely publicise about this at the CVCs.

For the frontline workers (FLWs), the national average of first-dose coverage is 85 per cent but for the second dose, it is only 47 per cent, while 19 states and Union territories have reported a second-dose coverage of FLWs below the national average, the statement said.