Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
Post 10 days since the vaccination drive was opened for a third dose for healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those above the age of 60 years with comorbidities, Delhi has administered 1,47,354 precaution doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Nearly 2,40,000 healthcare workers, 3,50,000 frontline workers, and 3,80,000 persons above the age of 60 years with comorbidities are eligible for the third dose. This means more than 15 per cent of those who are eligible for the third dose have been immunised.
However, 6,14,151 children aged between 15 and 18 have been vaccinated with the first dose after the inoculation drive began for them. This is more than 60 per cent of the 10 lakh eligible children.
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Despite most vaccination centres being located in hospitals and dispensaries, the number of third doses administered to healthcare workers (36,000) is the lowest. This could be owing to the fact that several healthcare workers, who are being tested regularly, tested positive for Covid-19 during the current surge of infections. They can be vaccinated only three months after infection as per the government guidelines.
The highest uptake has been among the frontline workers, with over 77,000 persons having received the third dose. So far, around 49,000 persons over the age of 60 years with comorbidities have been immunised, as per data from the government’s CoWIN portal.
Meanwhile, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said “The positivity rate has come down from 30 per cent to 22.5 per cent and the total number of cases in Delhi has also decreased. However, the positivity rate is not low enough that we can relax the Covid-19 restrictions.”
The Minister added while hospitalisations in the national capital are low and several beds remain vacant, the government is conducting more tests. Jain also said that a positivity rate of 24 per cent and 13,000 Covid cases are expected today (Wednesday) in the city.
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