Only 27 percent take booster dose in Mysuru;  62,000 doses available at vaccination centres

Mysore/Mysuru: Amid rising fear of a new COVID variant wave in India and in the wake of the Centre, State and the Indian Medical Association issuing separate guidelines, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Dr. K.V. Rajendra will hold a meeting with the Health Department officers and staff this evening to decide on the strategies and facilities for COVID control.

The meeting assumes importance with the State Government deciding to make face masks mandatory in closed spaces and air-conditioned rooms. Considering Karnataka going for the election next year, the Government also decided to conduct mandatory testing of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI).

Today’s meeting will review the District Administration’s preparedness and steps to be taken to curb the spread of the pandemic in the wake of a spurt in cases in some parts of the world, including China. The meeting will decide to give a fillip to booster dose coverage.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, District Health Officer Dr. K.H. Prasad said that the meeting has been scheduled at 3 pm with all the District-level health officers including Reproductive and Child Health Officer, District Surveillance Officer, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme Officer and other District Health and Family Welfare Officers.

This apart, all Taluk Health Officers, Administrative Officers of District and Taluk Hospitals will be a part of the meeting. “The meeting will take a call on reserving an exclusive hospital for COVID patients like it was done in the first and second wave. Now that COVID Hospital has been converted into District Hospital. We will discuss where to keep the patients in case of outbreak, medicine stocks, vaccine coverage among others,” he said.

The District has got orders from the State to mandatorily test ILI and SARI patients at all Primary Health Centres, secondary and tertiary medical centres, District and Taluk Hospitals. “We will test the condition of oxygen generator plants, supply networks and the functioning of oxygen cylinders,” he added.

Only 27 percent took booster doses

The DHO said that in Mysuru, only 27 percent took booster doses as per the data available till Dec. 17 and over 62,000 doses are still available at the designated vaccination centres. Appealing people to take booster doses, Dr. Prasad said that after the second wave dropped, people have lost interest and have stayed away from vaccination.

“This trend has been observed despite many awareness and campaigns held for vaccination in the district. We are routinely giving vaccines at all the designated centres but people are not forthcoming. Booster dose is the best prevention,” he added.

As per the data provided by the DHO, as on Dec. 17, 6,76,209 people have got the booster doses out of the targeted population (in the 18 years and above age group) of 24,38,000, recording 27.74 percent. In Mysuru Urban, 9,58,600 people were identified for booster doses but only 1,62,357 have taken them.

Taking the district count, till Dec. 17, 62,02,966 doses have been administered including the ones administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers, 12-14 age group, 15-17, 18-44, 45-59 age group and 60 and above age group. In all, 27,45,017 first dose, 27,81,740 second dose and 6,76,209 booster doses have been administered till Dec. 17.