HYDERABAD: Approximately 24 per cent of beneficiaries availed of the vaccination schedule on the last day for emergency employees in the state. Effectively, the first dose of free vaccines for healthcare and emergency employees has been completed.
The percentage of beneficiaries is 33 per cent while the total number stands at 2,77,825.
The last two days saw very few beneficiaries coming forward. Despite senior officials, doctors and IPS officials going in for vaccination, the confidence levels of middle and lower cadre remained less impressed.
The reasons for the low turnout are being attributed to the haste with which the vaccines were approved by the regulatory authority leading to lack of confidence in people. Another reason noted is that 70 per cent of emergency and healthcare workers have been infected or were asymptomatic carriers of the virus. Since they have anti-bodies the need for a vaccine is not being felt now.
Dr Rahul Aggarwal, senior general…