Only 49% Fully Vaccinated In Odisha, 46 Lakh Yet To Take 1st Dose: H&FW Director

The Director of Health & Family Welfare Bijay Panigrahi on Thursday said that the total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Odisha has reached 4.38 crore mark, vaccinating 49 per cent people with both the doses.

"So far we have administered 4.38 crore doses of Covid vaccine of which 2.79 crore or 86 per cent have taken the first dose while 1.59 crore or 49 per cent have received both the jabs," said Panigrahi.

He further said that the State had set a target to complete 90 per cent vaccination as per Centre's 'Har Ghar Dastak' or the door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination campaign, but managed to reach only 86 per cent so far.

"We hope the remaining 4 per cent people will get the dose in December. Our efforts are on to achieve 100 per cent vaccination or to ensure that all are administered with the first dose by the end of December," he stated.

The State has increased the number of vaccination centres at village level. Besides, teams are visiting villages to provide mobile vaccination facility, he said, adding, "46 lakh people are yet to take even the first Covid dose while 31 lakh people are yet to take the jab even after being eligible for the second dose."

"I appeal all to get vaccinated as soon as possible as the Covid-19 cases have once again started to rise in our State," urged the H&FW Director.