Ranchi: Covid booster drive picks up pace as Centre announces free jabs

After the Union Health Ministry offered free precautionary doses for the 18-59 age group of beneficiaries for 75 days commencing on July 15, beneficiaries over the age of 18 rushed to get them.

As per the Ranchi district vaccination officer Dr Shashi Bhushan, the average footfall of beneficiaries at CVCs has reached 5,000 daily as against approximately 1,100 before the announcement.

According to state health department records, 35,000 beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 59 and more than 8,000 beneficiaries above the age of 60 showed up to receive preventative medication over the last three days.

Officials from the immunization department claimed that more people are visiting vaccination centres and that more booths will be installed in the districts as needed.

The state epidemiologist Dr Praveen Karn earlier informed in an interview that they have asked all district officials to guarantee maximum coverage of booster doses and enhance the number of Covid Vaccination Centers (CVCs) as required.

As of Monday, around 5,300 people were vaccinated. Officials confirmed that people who had not yet received the second dose are lining up to receive the shot.

The number of active cases in Jharkhand has surpassed 2,000 as of July 21. In the meantime, the Covid-19 infection is also spreading more quickly with each passing day.

The seven-day growth rate of Covid in the state has already reached 0.03 percent, which is similar to the national growth rate, according to state health department figures. Medical professionals have urged everyone to view it as a warning sign.