The daily numbers of COVID-19 vaccination are observing a drop again, even after eighteen days into Indias vaccination drive.

Last week, the vaccination figures had dropped from 5.7 lakh to 1.8 lakh a day. The number of total numbers of average recipients at each site has also dropped from 57 to 49 in the last few days.

On 28th January, the average number of recipients per site was 56 and the total number of vaccinations completed was more than 5.7 lakh (5,72,074).On 31st January, the average number of receivers on each site was 57 and the total number of vaccinations completed was 14,509.

On 2nd February, the average number of receivers on each site was 49, which was dropped from 54 on 1st February. The total number of vaccinations done was more than 1.8 lakh (1,88,762) but less from Mondays 1.9 lakh (1,91,313) count.

On Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry declared that India will be the fastest country to reach the target of 4 million immunizations and it has achieved the mark in only 18 days. However, the public health experts stated that India will make more effort to achieve the target.

Dr Dileep Mavalankar, who is the Director of the Indian Institute of Public Health, said that to immunize 60 crore doses to 30 crore people in the next six months, they will have to speedily increase the pace of vaccinations. The average pace should be 33 lakh doses daily. The government should open more vaccination centers and allow more volunteers who are ready to get immunized. If the government is unable to manage it then the private sector should be permitted to immunize the citizens.

On 30th January, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan told states to increase the number of vaccination sites. Gujarat has increased its vaccination sites from 161 to 510, which is followed by Delhi, who has increased its vaccination sites from 81 to 183 and will vaccinate on six days a week instead of 4 days.

Immunization of frontline workers has begun as per the schedule from the 1st week of February. Gujarat, West Bengal and Punjab have already begun the vaccination for them, the rest of the states will start by the end of this week.

Government officials stated that the drop in numbers to receive vaccines is mostly due to vaccine hesitancy and the spike which was seen in earlier was because of the introduction of walk-in-vaccinations.

Dr Suneela Garg, who is an advisor to the Indian Council of Medical Research and Director Professor of Community Medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College said that the huge numbers originally came because people were eagerly looking for the COVID-19 vaccine and it was made available. Slowly vaccine hesitancy set in and people started having a lot of issues. Few of them dont want to take the current vaccines and few others feel that more vaccines are coming so it is best to wait.

The hesitancy related to vaccines needs to be addressed at national, state and district levels. Officials at the vaccination sites need to be more proactive and should call the slotted people one day in advance. If those people are not planning to come, then call up people from the other list. In this way, the team at the vaccination site is entirely occupied with all the resources being efficiently utilized.

Source: NDTV