Chennai, Oct 27 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu health department will be conducting a door-to-door campaign on vaccine awareness and if possible to inoculate those who have not taken the jab at their homes.
The state health department in a statement said that this would reduce the vaccine hesitancy of several sections of the population especially in rural areas of the state.
The Tamil Nadu health secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan while speaking to media persons said that the health workers would use population data to prepare the list of people who have not taken the vaccine, either the first dose or both the doses.
Health department has directed urban and village nurses to take a report on the people who have not been vaccinated while delivering medicines under the ‘makkalai thedi maruthavum scheme’ which is to provide medicine to the people at their doorsteps.
The state health department in its analysis has found that as of Tuesday 31% of people of the state have not yet taken even a single dose of vaccine while only 29% have taken both doses. The National average of the first dose is above 75% and Tamil Nadu is lagging behind in this and the state health department has envisaged new plans to somehow vaccinate the population who have yet to take the jab.
Interestingly a study by the state health department has found that there were discrepancies among districts regarding vaccination with districts like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Tiruppur have nearly 80% vaccine coverage for the first dose which is above the national average but districts like Tiruppatur, Vellore, Myladuthurai and Ranipet have less than 60% of adults who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
The senior citizens of the state have lagged behind in vaccine coverage and until Tuesday, according to state health department, only 47% of the 1.04 crore senior citizens have taken their first dose of the vaccine while 23% have taken both the doses. It is to be noted in this context that the most vulnerable of the population who are likely to have fatal Covid -19 attacks are the senior citizens.
A study by the state health department has found that two doses of Covid -19 vaccine have reduced the possibilities and risk of hospitalization due to the pandemic, admissions to ICU’s and even deaths.
The health secretary has also directed all the district collectors to find the specific areas in each district where there is reduced vaccine coverage. The department is planning to conduct door-to-door vaccine awareness campaigns in these areas in districts where there is a reduced coverage.
