Vizag aims at 75% coverage

Vaccinating a large section of people will result in herd immunity, say experts

The district has a population of about 46 lakh and the administration is aiming to vaccinate 30-35 lakh in the next two to three months, as health experts opine that only then herd immunity can be developed and the COVID-19 pandemic can be brought under control. But so far the vaccination rate has not been as desired and efforts are on to motivate more numbers to take the jab. “We need to vaccinate at least 70-75% of the population to develop herd immunity, so that we can bring things under control,” says District COVID Special Officer and principal of Andhra Medical College Dr. P.V. Sudhakar. Keeping that in view, the government has opened counters for all persons above 45 years of age. The nation-wide vaccination drive began on January 16, and so far the response has been lukewarm. In the first phase, the vaccination drive was for health workers and the district listed about 32,000, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and ANMs.