Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday appealed Delhiites to get the Covid-19 precaution doses, saying only around 10 per cent people have done so far in the national capital. He also urged the parents of children in the age group 12-17 years to get them administered second dose of the vaccine. Only 8 per cent of the country’s total population across India, the Central Government had said earlier this week, has got the third shot against coronavirus, also called as precautionary dose.
“The coronavirus situation in Delhi is under control. I appeal to all eligible citizens to take 'precaution dose' of Covid vaccine, provided for free in Delhi. It will also be administered at Mohalla Clinics,” the Chief Minister urged in a video address, adding that 3.5 crore vaccine doses have been given so far in the national capital.
“This dose needs to be administered after the first and second dose. Those who are yet to take the precaution should do it immediately," he said Noting that a very small share of the total population has taken the precaution dose, he stressed that it is also available free of cost just like the other two doses. "People are not required to pay any money, they just have to spare some time to get vaccinated. All the adults i.e., people aged more than 18 years who took the second vaccine more than six months ago can get this precaution dose," he said.
"A lot of people are not getting booster shots. Only 10 per cent of people have got it so far, it seems. Since July began, Delhi has been recording less than 1,000 cases in a day.”
This week, the daily tally went past 600 cases on just one day. The city has been witnessing low hospitalisations and deaths due to the virus, Kejriwal said. "All those above 18 who got their second shot six months ago can get booster shots," he urged. Sharing vaccination figures, he said so far, a total of 3.5 crore vaccines have been administered in Delhi. Out of this, 1.81 crore are first doses, 1.53 crore are second doses.
"And only 18.5 lakh people have taken the precautionary dose. This means that a lot of people are yet to get the precautionary dose. This number is only 10 per cent of the people who got the first dose. We have a huge capacity of administering 1 lakh doses per day in Delhi, both private and government facilities included," he said.
The Chief Minister said the Government will also set up camps in schools for vaccination of children, if the school authorities request the local district administration officials for the purpose. "Children aged between 12-17 are eligible for a second dose but a lot of them are yet to take that dose. I request them as well as their parents to ensure that they get vaccinated," he said.
The Chief Minister also appealed people who have not received their second dose to do so at the earliest. The senior citizen, health workers and frontline workers also need to get precaution doses, he stressed.