Goa achieves 100 per cent Covid-19 vaccination among adults

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane tweeted: “Hats off to team DHS Goa and GMC for completing the target of both doses of Covid Vaccination for adults over the age of 18 years in the state of Goa. Their unwavering support and commitment to achieving our goal of 100 percent vaccination has been incredible.”

State immunisation officer Dr Rajendra Borkar said that the 100 per cent vaccination had been achieved in terms of the target given to the state by the Union health ministry. “People will still come for the first dose, some will come for the second dose but that is only because when we claim 100 per cent, it is a number. But some people from other states must have come, some people from our state must have gone out so that is why at least for a while, a number (of people) will keep on coming (for vaccination). The number of people coming for the first dose has reduced significantly now,” he said.

Almeida said: “We still have people who are not vaccinated, especially the elderly and those with comorbidities and those who don’t want to get vaccinated. So we urge them to come forward and take the vaccine. We have achieved 100 per cent because there are a few people who visit the state during the tourism season and we have people coming in and going out of the state. Of the number that was given to us by the health ministry (11.66 lakh), we have now completed 100 per cent vaccination.”

Borkar said that vaccination will now be available at all peripheral health centres once a week for people who still wish to get vaccinated. “Vaccines are of 10 dose or 20 dose vials. So if we keep all centres open there is a lot of wastage of the vaccine. From tomorrow onwards, in all peripheral health centres across Goa, we still have vaccination but on routine immunisation days,” Borkar said.

He urged those who have not taken the vaccine to come in groups to avoid wastage of the vaccine. “ The supply and delivery (of the vaccine) are ensured. Nobody needs to worry because vaccination centres are closed,” Borkar said.

Borkar clarified that the 40 government-run vaccination centres in the state will not close down but they will work once a week as they do for other immunisation programmes as well.

Almeida also said that the DHS was thinking of closing Covid hospitals in the periphery Covid cases were on the decline in the state. On Wednesday, Goa reported 118 new cases with a test positivity rate of 4.33 per cent and five deaths. The active cases stood at 1,608.

Goa has so far reported 2.44 lakh Covid cases and 3,782 deaths.

On September 15, 2021, the Goa government announced 100 per cent administration of the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.