Weekly vaccination up 22% in Chandigarh amid Omicron scare

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 4

Covid-19 vaccination in Chandigarh has increased by 22 per cent this week, logging the highest weekly doses administered since first week of October. Courtesy, the threat posed by the South African variant, Omicron, and the suspected cases detected in the city.

“There was a sudden increase in the vaccination numbers. There was a daily average of about 4,500 vaccinations, but today we crossed 6,000 doses. It is probably the highest number of doses administered in a day during the past 30 days. The reason for this sudden increase could possibly be the Omicron threat and people realising the importance of vaccination,” said Yashpal Garg, UT Health Secretary.

The week ending December 3 witnessed 31,527 doses administered in Chandigarh, while only 25,761 doses were administered in the preceding week. There has been a 22 per cent rise in vaccination numbers this week. A number of people who had skipped their second dose due to vaccine complacency have now starting turning up.

This week, as many as 25,312 people turned up for their second dose. In the city, around 1,80,000 people had skipped their second dose due to which the overall vaccination turnout has been only 75 per cent.

Experts have strongly suggested residents should take their vaccination doses in order to stay protected from Omicron. The new variant is believed to be highly transmissible with possible characteristics of evading vaccine-induced immunity. Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, said, “The only way to stay protected against the new variant is vaccination and following basic Covid-appropriate behaviour. Vaccines will reduce hospitalisation and deaths even if the virus spreads rapidly.”

‘SA returnee stable’

The genome sequencing report of the resident of Sector 36, who returned from South Africa and tested positive on 8th day, is still awaited. The SA-returnee, his wife and the maid have been put under isolation at the GMCH-32. All three are fine and didn’t require oxygen support or any special treatment, clarified the UT Health Department.