Health workers cold to booster dose

Chandigarh: Vaccination rate for booster dose remained low amongst health care workers and frontline warriors, though the elderly are most receptive as 52% of the eligible 60+ residents have been jabbed the third time. Only 11% and 14.7% of health care workers and frontline warriors have got the booster shots since January 10.

Meanwhile, 71.5% of children between 15 years and 17 years have been administered the first shots of Covaxin since January 5. Chandigarh has already fully immunised its adult population of 8,43,000. “It is expected that by next month, all the children in Chandigarh between 15 years and 17 years will get their first shots. In March, the slots will open for the children between 12 years and 15 years of age,” said an official in the UT health department.

The lukewarm response amongst HCW and FLWS is due to the reinfections after the vaccinations. “Mixed doses have been proved to be efficient against omicron for booster. But in the city, only Covishield is being given,” said a public health expert

In Mohali, 10,941 people were vaccinated on Friday. The first dose was given to 4,983, including 1,159 between the age of 15-years to 17-years and the second to 4,765. In Panchkula, 2,016 people were vaccinated on Friday. The first dose was administered to 623, including 272 in the age group of 15-17, and the second to 902.