Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government will launch Tika Utsav 3.2 from Thursday, as part of the “Goa Celebrates Vaccination” initiative with an aim to cover 1.72 lakh people for the second dose even as Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said Goa had achieved 102 per cent coverage of the first dose.
Speaking to the media, Sawant on Wednesday said 102 per cent of the eligible population of the State has been vaccinated with first dose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. To substantiate his claim he read statistics received from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi regarding vaccination coverage in the State.
As per Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data, the vaccine eligible population (above 18 years) of the State stands at 11.66 lakh, Sawant said adding that the State had so far vaccinated 11,88,891 people, which amounts to 102 per cent of the eligible population. Also with 5,02,144 lakh people taking their second dose, 43.07 per cent people in Goa are fully vaccinated.
Sawant said that the Tika Utsav 3.2, starting from Thursday, will continue for eight days wherein 1.70 lakh people in Goa are due for their second dose. If they take their dose as per the schedule then by the end of the current week second the dose vaccination coverage will rise to 60 per cent, he said adding that the government is trying to achieve the target for vaccinating all eligible population with both the doses by October 31 this year.
Sawant also pointed out that of the 10 patients, who succumbed to COVID-19 last week nine were unvaccinated and appealed to the people to vaccinate themselves so as to reduce the mortality rate.
Foreigners and migrant workers have also been vaccinated in Goa since launching of the Tika Utsav 1.0 on April 10 this year.
The Chief Minister said Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat and opposition members Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte instead of criticising the government on 100 per cent vaccination should encourage and motivate people to participate in Tika Utsav 3.2 and get them vaccinated. “If everyone participates, we will be able to complete the second dose vaccination to the entire population,” he said.
When asked if all MLAs have been vaccinated against COVID-19 infection, the Chief Minister said he has not taken account of the same from them.
