Odisha gears up to administer COVID-19 booster with focus on colleges

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is geared up to begin administering the COVID-19 booster doses to people in the age group of 18 to 59 years from Friday and chief secretary SC Mohapatra has asked officials to launch a drive in colleges and higher educational institutions across the state in a campaign mode.

Mohapatra, who reviewed the coronavirus situation in the state, said on Thursday that it is well under control though the number of cases is rising in urban pockets like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. He directed all district collectors and concerned departments to remain vigilant and vaccinate people above 18 years of age on a war footing. The chief secretary’s direction to focus on colleges and universities came after 44 students of a national university in Cuttack tested positive on Wednesday.

Mohapatra directed officials to strictly enforce COVID-appropriate behaviour in public places, ramp up testing and operate a 24×7 COVID helpline. He also asked them to intensify awareness on wearing masks, avoiding crowds, and maintaining a physical distance. He told district collectors and municipal corporation commissioners to spread information on the location of vaccination centres, call centres and help centre numbers and facilities for treatment. The chief secretary also asked the district collectors to create separate COVID wards and remain in readiness for enhancing the number of beds as per requirement.

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State immunisation nodal officer and director of family welfare, Bijay Panigrahi said that the free booster doses will be made available at 2,500 vaccination centres.. “While there are adequate health workers to administer the booster doses to beneficiaries, we do not have enough stock of vaccines and the Centre will be informed about it,” he said. He said as per the Centre’s instructions, all adults between the age group of 18 and 59 years will be eligible to get free of cost booster doses of COVID vaccine at government centres under a special drive over the next 75 days from Friday.

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Panigrahi said that about 98 percent of children between the age group of 12 and 14 years have been administered the first dose of the COVID vaccine, while 72 per cent of children have been given the second dose. 92 per cent of the children aged 15 to 17 years have been given the first dose and 82 per cent of them have the second dose. He said 96 per cent of adults above the age of 18 have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine, while 90 percent of adults have received the second dose. About 28 per cent of healthcare workers, frontline workers and senior citizens in the state have been given the precautionary dose so far, Panigrahi added.