Pinarayi calls for urgent vaccination of the elderly

Mostly unvaccinated elderly persons succumbing to infection; vaccine side effects fewer in senior citizens

It is quite worrying that the number of people dying due to COVID-19 in the State has been increasing in proportion to the rise in disease transmission. However, a significant proportion of the fatalities was elderly persons who are yet to be vaccinated, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here. The few elderly who were vaccinated and yet succumbed to COVID-19 were those who had several co-morbidities, he said. An estimated 9 lakh persons above 60 years and who have co-morbidities remain unvaccinated in the State, significantly contributing to COVID-19 mortality now. Most of these people seem to have vaccine hesitancy or irrational fears over the side effects of vaccination.