1.3 crore persons yet to receive second dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Tamil Nadu

More than 1.34 crore eligible people in Tamil Nadu have not received the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19, said the State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian, on Saturday, March 19. He also urged those not yet vaccinated to make use of the mega vaccination camp conducted by the Health Department every week in the state. The Minister for Health and Family Welfare was inspecting the 25th mega vaccination camp currently underway in the city on Saturday.

During the camp, he said that as many as 3,61,283 children in the age group of 12-14 years have received the jabs as against the eligible 21.21 lakh children. Vaccination for this age category commenced on March 16 across the country. "Two lakh vaccination doses are being administered on a daily basis in the state. As many as 1,34,35,505 people are eligible to receive the second dose and are yet to get vaccinated while 51,82,974 people are yet to receive the first dose of vaccination in the state. They should make use of the mega vaccination camps conducted on Saturdays by the health department," he said. Subramanian added that 76,80,645 doses of vaccines were available with the health department at present.

The minister said 3,100 panchayats out of a total 12,585 panchayats in Tamil Nadu have achieved 100% status in their region and very soon they would be honoured by certificates signed by Chief Minister M K Stalin.

He said of the 5,78,91,000 eligible persons above the age of 18 years, the Health Department has administered vaccines to 5,32,28,642 while 4,32,24,269 received second doses of vaccinations.

On the status of the precautionary booster dose, he said that 4,09,588 people above the age of 60 years of age have received the third dose. The minister said that monitoring of people in the 13 districts bordering Kerala have been intensified as COVID-19 cases increased to 847 on Friday, March 18, while in Tamil Nadu it stood at 61 on Friday with zero fatalities.

"Lakhs of people travel to Tamil Nadu from Kerala. Due to the increase in cases in Kerala, it has been decided to intensify the measures in the border districts," he said.