Patna: Just 5.7% of targeted ‘6 crore in 6 months’ fully inoculated

PATNA: Amid the threat of third wave of Covid, many people are seen visiting the nearest vaccination centres to get inoculated in the city. Some, however, are disappointed due to low supply of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

One Shashank Agarwal, who left the vaccination centre near IT roundabout without taking the jab, said, “I want Covaxin because of only 28-day gap between two doses as compared to Covishield that requires the gap of at least 84 days. I want to be fully vaccinated before the arrival of the third wave,” he said.

Nidhi Sinha, another city resident, said, “Isn’t it better to get both the shots before the third wave? I have heard that primary and secondary immune response would help fight the disease and suppress its severity. I am even ready to pay for Covaxin if it is available.”

Raj Balla, a resident of Patna City, said, “I am hopeful of booking my slot for Covaxin by next week. Even if I receive my first dose of vaccine by July-end, I would be fully vaccinated by the last week of August.”

Health officials said the gap between two doses has created a significant increase in demand for Covaxin. The frequent revision in the gap between two doses is the main reason for the number of people fully inoculated being low in the state.

The Bihar government has administered the first dose of Covid vaccines to 31% of six crore people it has targeted to vaccinate in six months. Among them, only 5.7% have received their second shots.

As per the data available on CoWIN, altogether 2,92,209 beneficiaries were administered anti-Covid vaccines on Sunday, which included the first as well as the second doses. So far, 1,88,71,575 people have taken the first dose of the vaccines in the state and 34,68,378 second dose. The cumulative figure of vaccination in the state stands at 2.23 crore.

The data available on CoWIN showed that maximum beneficiaries, 1.04 crore, who have taken one shot of vaccine are in the age group of 18-44 years, followed by 62.8 lakh in the age group of 45-59 years and 55.7 lakh senior citizens. Most people have been administered Covishield as two crore doses of the vaccine have been used in the state against 22.7 lakh doses of Covaxin and 2,038 doses of Sputnik V.

In Patna, 19,08,768 people have got at least one jab of Covid-19 vaccines and 6,01,143 have received their second shots. Altogether 33,484 beneficiaries were inoculated in the district on Sunday.

Dr Arun Shah, a Muzaffarpur-based senior paediatrician and former president of Indian Academy of Paediatrics-Bihar, said people should be choosy when it comes to vaccination. “All the vaccines are effective. Since there are so many variants of Covid-19, no one can guarantee that fully vaccinated people would not get infected by the disease. Many vaccinated people had tested positive during the second wave,” he added.

Dr Sanjeev Kumar, nodal officer for Covid-19 at AIIMS-Patna, said the first dose of vaccine provides protection against SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19.

“Enough antibodies are developed with one shot to fight the disease. The second dose further enhances the level of antibody. Those who have taken first dose of Covaxin need a booster (second) dose after 28 days to increase the quantity of antibody developed by the first dose. In case of Covishield, the second dose is required after 84 days,” he added.