Many people have not got vaccinated for Coronavirus infection in Chennai and in Tamil Nadu. The health workers have been struggling to improve vaccination coverage in the state as many people fear to get vaccinated. In the mega vaccination camps that were held recently in TN there were many persons who have not turned up to get their second vaccination shots even months after their due date was over.
In this scenario, the state health department has asked districts to prepare a list of people who have not been vaccinated first as well as second dose for a door-to-door campaign. Information collected is that the health workers would visit the houses in the coming days to spread awareness about the vaccination and would offer them vaccines at the door steps.
Mr. J. Radhakrishnan, health secretary spoke about how this would break the hesitancy to get vaccinated and how by this more people would get vaccinated. Population data would be used by the health workers to prepare the list of those who have not been vaccinated.
He later brought out that the health workers have been asked to make vaccine checks as priority when these workers visit homes for the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme for providing medicines to the public.
He pointed out the fact that until 8am on Tuesday nearly31% of adults in TN have not taken even one dose of vaccination and just 295 have taken both the doses. In India, the average for the first dose is more than 75%.
Nearly 80% of the population in districts like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet etc have been administered with vaccination. There are districts like Vellore, Mayiladuthurai, Thirupathur etc where less than 60% adults have taken atleast one dose. Places within the TN districts where vaccine coverage is low has to be identified by the district collectors.