As many as 1.53 lakh people in Burdwan East have skipped their Covid-19 second dose despite repeated bids to persuade them even as the health administration has plenty of doses at its disposal.

Perturbed by the apathy, the Burdwan East Zilla Parishad health wing, after preparing a database, is set to draw up a list of those who are reluctant to get vaccinated, along with their contact numbers, which will soon be distributed to the health workers for further door-to-door drive, the officials said.

Although vaccines are given free at government health units, beneficiaries are still hesitant. The Covid-19 Task Force for the district has expressed concern over the phenomenon. On last Tuesday, the Task Force stressed the need for extensive drive.

The Sabhadhipati, Burdwan East Zilla Parishad, Shampa Dhara accompanied by Debu Tudu, Saha-Sabhadhipati of the ZP, held a video-conference with the 23 Panchayat Samitis and Pradhans of 215 Panchayats of the district. Bagbul Islam, the ZP’s Karmadhyaksha for Public Health Engineering accompanied by the Mission Nirmal Bangla officials also joined the conference with the vaccination status report.

Dhara said: “As per the status report, in our district 1,53,524 persons have skipped their second dose so far and their maximum extended time also has elapsed.” In Burdwan East, 43.15 lakh eligible persons have already received their first dose. Islam said: “Maximum efforts are needed for further mass awareness, we have realized.”

The district had recorded 95 per cent jab for first dose vaccine. Asked, why people are behaving so, he said: “Many have started believing that we have got rid of Covid-19 and there are some who still believe that Covid-19 is a hoax.” Burdwan East incidentally recorded 40,954 Covid-19 positive cases and 489 deaths. Yesterday, nine new cases were taken to the Covid-19 hospital, officials said.

Burdwan town residents have shown highest reluctance to get the second jab and 30,963 persons are yet to take it. Of them, 3,015 refused Covaxin even after the stipulated 42 days from the first dose was over. For an estimated 4,551 persons the stipulated time of 112 days had passed a month ago.

Among the blocks, Memari -1 tops the list where 15,613 eligible persons have skipped second dose. Guskara municipality area fared little better where 2,237 bunked second dose.