While the grave circumstances call for immediate inoculation for all, citizens above 45 in Goa are still disinclined towards taking the immunity booster jab. In view of this, the Chief Minister has announced that Tika Utsav 2.0 will be initiated on Wednesday as an attempt to expand the scope of immunisation. Under this program, state authorities will travel into all rural and municipal pockets to bring out nearly 40% of Goa’s 45+ population, who have escaped the vaccine shot.
1st dose inoculation for 45+ citizens on priority
It has been claimed that the ongoing lockdown curbs and the after-effects of Cyclone Tauktae are the major reasons preventing the beneficiaries from turning up. “Through the Tika Utsav 2.0, we will reach everyone (above 45 years) and get them vaccinated. From May 26, the Tika Utsav will reach all gram panchayats and municipalities. We had started Tika Utsav in 168 places last time, we will cover more places now,” stated the Chief Minister.
In a bid to break the hesitance of people towards vaccination, Tika Utsav was launched by the PM for the first time in April. Now, the Goa government is all set to execute a second program of the same kind to accelerate vaccinations. Given the fact, that nearly 40% of all the citizens above 45 have not received their first dose, Tika Utsav 2.0 will be targeted at vaccinating them. It has been stated that second dose vaccination will not be a part of this program.
All elected representatives to take part in the exercise
The CM mentioned that all elected representatives including MLAs, village panchayats and city councillors would take to spread awareness under Tika Utsav 2.0. Aimed at increasing the footfalls at vaccination centres, the initiative will aid in moving towards the ultimate goal of herd immunity.
Jagdish Kakodkar, the departmental head at Goa Medical College and the member secretary of a state government’s experts’ panel related to COVID, mentioned that people in the state are unwilling to get themselves vaccinated. Amongst many reasons, the altered weather conditions and the underway curfew, have definitely contributed to the low count of beneficiaries.
Here, the importance of vaccination can be highlighted from the fact that areas with a high count of inoculated individuals have lesser cases and a reduced count of deaths.
– With inputs from IANS
