U.T. reworks strategy to boost vaccination coverage
The Hindu
Anganwadi workers and community influencers to be roped in to cover all eligible people
The health administration has decided to rope in anganwadi workers and community influencers in a bid to boost COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the Union Territory.
The move comes amid less than expected vaccine offtake in spite of several initiatives undertaken by government, from non-stop vaccination drives, street corner sessions to rural camps. The Health Department had launched targeted door-to-door delivery of vaccines in low-coverage neighbourhoods to tackle lingering hesitancy or misplaced anxieties. Now, the plan is to utilise the grass-roots reach and familiarity of anganwadi workers to mobilise the unvaccinated to take the jab, an official said.
Health Secretary C. Udayakumar convened a meeting on Monday to chalk out a plan to achieve 100% vaccination coverage in the U.T. It was decided to task the medical officers of the PHCs to check the information of those who had not been vaccinated and to coordinate with the Child Development Project Officers (CPDOs) to vaccinate these sections.