About 55.45 lakh persons are yet to take the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while the second dose pendency presently stood at nearly 96 lakh in Tamil Nadu.
While the focus continued to be on stepping up the overall vaccination coverage, vaccinating the elderly was one of the key thrust areas for the Health Department.
According to details obtained from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 55,45,139 people out of the eligible 5,78,91,000 are due for the first dose as of February 2. As many as 96,22,615 were due for the second dose. As of now, the State has achieved first dose coverage of 90.42%, while the second dose coverage stood at 69.24%.
However, the coverage remained low among senior citizens. Of the target population of 1,04,19,000 persons aged above 60, only 64% have received the first dose, while 52% have taken the second.
T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said overall, the pace of vaccination was improving in the State but needed to improve further. Coverage of the 60+ population was one of the key thrust areas.
“The focus remains on reducing hospital admission and mortality. The mortality is high in the unvaccinated elderly with co-morbidities. So, the focus is on vaccinating the elderly on time and keeping co-morbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes, under control and proper treatment of long-term illness such as cancers,” he said.
“If you are vaccinated, the probability of you getting admitted to a hospital is rare even if infected,” he said.
J. Radhakrishnan, Health Secretary, said the current thrust was to have a line-list of eligible persons yet to be vaccinated with the first dose and ensure they it. About 15% of the 18-44 age group and 36% of above 60 category are yet to get the first dose, he said. “Simultaneously, we are focusing on improving the second dose coverage. Another thrust is on covering those who are eligible for the booster dose. In addition, among the 15-18 years category, about 18% of children outside schools such as those studying in ITIs and dropouts are yet to receive the first dose,” he said.
At the Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital, where a study on the “Impact of Vaccination on the Clinical Course and Outcome of COVID-19” has been taken up, Dean R. Jayanthi said, “In our observation so far, people who have been vaccinated had very mild courses of the illness. It has been life-saving for even those have severe co-morbidities and the elderly, who were admitted in the intensive care unit and needed oxygen. More than 90% mortality has occurred among those who were unvaccinated.”
Noting that the pace of vaccination should improve further, she said studies and their own experiences with patients had shown that vaccination saved lives and probably blunted the curve. “Among hospital admissions — occupancy in ICU — most patients were unvaccinated. It is important for 100% vaccination to prevent newer variants and to prevent morbidity and mortality among the vulnerable population,” Dr. Jayanthi said.
Mr. Radhakrishnan said the biggest stumbling block was a wrong attitude and hesitancy among many elderly persons, who were not going out of their homes, that there was no need to get vaccinated. This attitude needed to change, he said. “In January, the maximum number of deaths were in the above 50 years category who had co-morbidities and were unvaccinated,” he added.
