Centre doubles vax target for Chandigarh; erroneous, says Adviser

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12

Even as Chandigarh claims that it has vaccinated 70 per cent of its eligible population against Covid-19 with one dose against a target of over 7 lakh beneficiaries (7,09,180), the Central Government does not approve of this milestone achieved by the UT.

According to the Centre, Chandigarh’s eligible population above 18 years of age, which is to be covered for vaccination, is double the target of the UT, i.e. 15 lakh (15,75,709).

The UT Administration has repeatedly written to the Centre seeking a correction with regard to the eligible population in the record so that the target achieved can be rightly projected. The UT Adviser, Dharam Pal, said: “Our target population for Covid-19 vaccination above 18 years is 7.1 lakh. The total population of Chandigarh is estimated to be 12 lakh. We have taken it up with the Central Government to correct the same because our target achieved is reflected lower than the actual target achieved in the ministry’s database.” Till Monday, Chandigarh had vaccinated 4,99,073 beneficiaries (70.37 per cent) with first dose and 1,21,217 (17.09 per cent) beneficiaries with two doses.

Vaccination at colleges

The Adviser added: “We have now opened 100 vaccination centres across the UT. The drive has started in colleges as we plan to vaccinate students before opening the colleges. We have started vaccination at Sukhna Lake where visitors are often spotted. We aim to bring down the Covid curve and prevent the third wave through vaccination.”

In the past week, around 7,677 beneficiaries got vaccinated on a daily basis. There is no shortage of vaccines in Chandigarh as it will receive two lakh doses of Covishield for July from the Central Government. Of this, about 75,000 doses were sent by the ministry recently.

UT sees 9 cases

Chandigarh: The city on Monday reported nine new cases of Covid-19 and no death due to the virus. A total of 13 patients were discharged during the past 24 hours. — TNS

Two infected in Panchkula

Panchkula: The district on Monday reported two fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the overall tally to 30,614. With no fresh death, the Covid toll remained at 375. While 30,219 patients recovered from the disease so far, 20 cases are still active. — TNS

In Mohali, three contract infection

Mohali: For the second consecutive day, the district recorded three fresh cases of Covid-19. Meanwhile, no fresh fatality was reported till Monday evening while 10 patients defeated the virus. Among the new cases, one came from Dhakoli and two from the Kharar area. No case was reported from Mohali (urban), Dera Bassi and Gharuan, Banur and Kurali. — TNS