PANJIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Monday announced a Tika Utsav 2.0 (vaccination programme) from Wednesday in a bid to vaccinate the remaining 40 per cent of people above the age of 45 years against coronavirus.
Addressing the people, Sawant said that till date 60 per cent of Goa’s population aged 45 years and above have been vaccinated and appealed to the people to turn out in large numbers at the given centres to achieve 100 per cent vaccination in the State and to defeat the virus.
Sawant said that preference will be given to those who are yet to be administered the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine during the second Tika Utsav, which will continue till June 7.
All 168 vaccination centres across the State will be open, while more centres will be opened in village panchayats and municipal areas and the dates and venues will be announced in consultation with the health officers and deputy collectors for the benefit of the people, he said.
The Chief Minister appealed to the people who were given the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine not to rush to the vaccination centres as the second dose for them will be administered at the same venue only after 84 days.
Sawant further said that all the permanent vaccination centres at primary health centres, community health centres, urban health centres and district hospitals will continue to give jabs to the people. He also requested frontline workers to take their vaccine jabs at these centres.
The Chief Minister said that the next inoculation programme for people in the 18-44 years age group will be declared as soon as possible after receiving additional supply of vaccines.
Earlier, the Goa government had conducted a four-day Tika Utsav from April 11 and 14 which was later extended till April 27.
The State Health Department also elaborated on the Tika Utsav 2.0 plans and said they have designed a schedule in 164 village panchayats and municipal areas.
State Immunisation Officer Dr Rajendra Borkar said the remaining panchayats are welcome to come on board but that they would have to stick to the schedule as it has been created in such a way, that there is no wastage of vaccines given the general scarcity of vaccines. He added that the State’s overall vaccine wastage figures are negligible.
Asked how they will ensure no crowding at these camps, he said that responsibility lies with the elected representatives who should bring people in a staggered manner. He added that the camps will be held at large halls and spacious places.
He clarified that the government is not planning to do mobile vaccination – going to the houses of the old people, sick people and those who cannot move out of their houses. The CM had earlier hinted about implementing such a plan.
Borkar explained that the vaccine has to be used within four hours and that it can be executed at the various camps/centres where the person who gets the vaccine can be kept under observation for half an hour. He, however, added that as when time and manpower permits, they will hold such drives.
Borkar also clarified that the State has no shortage of vaccines for the age group above 45.
He revealed that out of the 7,31,720 doses that had been allocated to Goa from the Centre, the State still has 2,81,170 surplus vaccines.
“As of now 2,84,898 have been partially vaccinated with the first dose in Goa while 95,820 have taken both the doses. Total 4,76,538 vaccine doses have been administered in the State since the vaccination drive commenced on January 16,2021,” said Borkar.
Health Secretary Ravi Dhawan, said the best solution to the COVID pandemic is to vaccinate the population.
Concurring with Dhawan, Dr Jagdish Cacodkar explained how mass vaccination can help bring down the number of cases, the severity of the infection and the number of deaths as well. He added that Goa has to vaccinate 60% of its population to get herd immunity against COVID -19 and said there is enough data to prove that taking vaccines in Goa is safe.
