Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Apr 29: The district received a limited quantity of vaccine from Bengaluru. When the vaccine was available in sufficient quantities, the response of the people was very lethargic. Now the vaccine gets exhausted within two days of its receipt. Very few people from the district do online registration. During the weekend curfew days, vaccination cannot be undertaken. Most of the people directly walk into the hospital and get vaccinated.

The officials said that the district takes pride in being the abode of intelligent people but as far the use of technology is concerned, they are lagging behind. Therefore, those who come first get the vaccine, health department officials said.

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The district's population was 11.77 lac as per the 2011 census including 6.15 lac women. 2021 census has not been undertaken so far on account of Covid-19. As per an estimate, the population here now is 13.26 lac out of which 6.42 lac are men. As per the health department survey, 31 per cent of the population (4.11 lac) are aged above 45. Now, the central government has said that those aged above 18 can be vaccinated from May 1. But official instructions have not been received. So far data about how many in this age group are eligible has not been released, it is learnt.

There are complaints that there is a shortage of vaccines for the second dose for people aged over 45. So far, 2.34 lac vaccines have been utilised in the district, the sources said.

Experts say that four crore Covishield vaccines and one crore Covaxin are being produced. The central government proposes to increase it by four times. In Udupi, three private recognised hospitals and district hospital are vaccinated people actively.

The government wants to collect 4,000 covid samples every day but because of staff shortage, this target is difficult to reach. Even though 2,500 throat swabs are collected, test reports take very long. Only three Covid labs function in the district and as such, there is a delay in conducting rests.

Till April 27, 1.50 lac people aged over 45 have got the first dose of the vaccine while 21,768 have got the second dose. 22,460 healthcare workers have got the first vaccines while 17,525 got the second dose. 8,059 front line workers got the first dose while 3,154 got the second dose. It is difficult to reach 100 per cent vaccination in health department staff as many among the staff are either pregnant or puerperal women.

People coming from other states pose a big problem for the district. Last year people coming from Mumbai and other countries had posed the biggest challenge. Now, most of the affected have got the disease from others within the district.