Nagaland exceeds its target in Covid-19 vaccination

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Jan. 18 (EMN): Nagaland has administered 13.66 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines to healthcare workers, frontline workers, and people above the age of 18 so far, a year after India rolled out the nation-wide vaccination programme.

Data from the Health department on vaccination status revealed that as many as 13,66,191 doses of Covid vaccines had been administered in the state as on January 16, exceeding the target of 12,50,645 doses.

Of the total doses administered to eligible people so far, 7,74,065 (61.9%) were of first dose, while 5,92,126 (47.3%) were second dose.

Meanwhile, 7919 doses of vaccines were administered on January 17, pushing the number of doses to 13,74,110, according the department’s report.

The data excludes the 15 to 18 years category as well as ‘precautionary doses’ or a third dose administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and 60+ with co-morbidities, which commenced on January 10.

The update also informed that a week after the state began administering ‘precautionary doses’ to the fully vaccinated beneficiaries of the mentioned categories, as many as 4687 persons have been inoculated till January 17.

As for the 15 to 18 years category, a total of 24033 have taken the jab against the target of 142008 as on January 17, the report stated.

Vaccination for this age group was rolled out by Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom in Dimapur on January 3.

Amid the rise of Omicron variant cases across the country, including neighbouring states of Manipur and Assam, Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Neikhrielie Khimiao on Monday urged healthcare workers to take precautionary doses.

Though Nagaland is yet to report any case of the Omicron variant till date, Health officials and the state Health department have repeatedly appealed to the people to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour and follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the government.