Another vaccination drive in Visakhapatnam; target of 2 lakh doses in a day

In a mega vaccination drive that is being organised in the city on Friday, Visakhapatnam is targeting to administer 2 lakh vaccine doses. District Collector Dr. A Mallikarjuna has instructed the Medical and Health officials, Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC), Constituency special officers, MPDOs, AU registrar, college principals, and college correspondents to take up this mega vaccination drive strenuously. 

All the primary health care, community health care, and covid vaccination centres are participating in this vaccination drive, which will be going on from 9 am to 5 pm. 

Ever since this mega vaccination drive started in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam district has always ranked well on the chart of administering the highest doses. Almost 95 percent of the individuals above 45 years of age and frontline workers in the district have been vaccinated with two doses. The current target is to vaccinate all individuals between 18-45 years of age and teachers. As per the statistics available, 3.5 lakh people in the rural areas and 1.5 lakh people in the agency area are yet to take their first dose of vaccine. 

As of Friday till 2 pm, a total of 3,61,35,796 doses have been administered in Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam stands on top with 36,45,973 doses, followed by 35,06,997 in East Godavari. 

Colleges in Visakhapatnam have been told to create awareness among the students on the need to participate in the vaccination drive. Andhra University and its affiliated colleges with more than 200 students have been asked to set up special vaccination centres on their college premises. 

According to the district officials, GVMC has reached only 69 percent of its vaccination target till date. To go further, Zonal Commissioners have been told to take special care at the field level during the vaccination drive. 

Apart from the district-organised vaccination drives, the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) has also taken the initiative to organise a free vaccination drive daily at Visakhapatnam railway station. This initiative started on 3 September 2021.