80% of eligible people received Covid-19 vaccine in Tripura: Officials

Seven villages in the state have the unique distinction of getting all their residents administered with at least one dose of the vaccine.

A Reang woman takes the COVID-19 vaccine at Gobindabari village in Chawmanu, near Agartala. (File Photo: PTI)

After achieving 98 percent Covid-19 vaccination among the 45 plus age group in the state, Tripura has now vaccinated around 80 percent of people across age groups, officials said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, National Health Mission Director Dr Siddhartha Shiv Jaiswal said: “Our healthcare and frontline workers were 100 percent vaccinated with first doses. We have administered 98 percent vaccination to 45 years and above people and 50 percent to 18 years above people with the first doses. Approximately, 80 percent of the state’s eligible population were vaccinated till now.”

The first phase of vaccination for healthcare workers started since January 16 while doses were rolled out for frontline workers — police, municipal workers, among others — since February 5. In terms of the second dose, 73 percent health workers and 56 percent frontline workers have already been covered in Tripura.

“As the gap between the two doses has increased to 84 days in case of Covishield, the remaining health and frontline workers will be covered soon,” he said.

He added that a total of 9.69 lakh people aged above 45 and a total 6.91 lakh people in the 18-44 age group were administered the first doses between March 1 and May 13.

“We have covered 47 percent of the above 45 years people in case of the second dose. Only two percent people who were administered Covaxin in their previous dose, were administered the second dose,” said Jaiswal.

Seven village panchayats in the state have been fully vaccinated till June 23 — of these, six villages are located in North Tripura district and one village is in Sepahijala district, he added.

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According to latest reports, Tripura has received 24.9 lakh Covid-19 doses so far and has 2.10 lakh doses in stock.

In a three-day long special vaccination drive between March 24and 26, a total of 2.26 lakh people above the age of 45 were given the vaccine.

In another second vaccination drive, held between June 21 and 22, a total of 3.48 lakh people in the 18-44 age group were covered.