Karnataka: Vaccination for elderly to begin in March

Bengaluru: Karnataka will begin vaccination for people with comorbidities, ones above 50 years of age, and persons below 50 years with comorbidities by the first week of March.

As per reports, the state plans to wind up the vaccination drive for healthcare and frontline workers by February 20.

At a media sensitization programme on February 18, Arundhathi Chandrashekhar, State Mission Director, National Health Mission informed that they are awaiting guidelines from the centre on preparing the list of this section of the population.

Adding that they will use the electoral roll data if it is the only age criteria, the official further said that they may use their existing health survey data but they aren’t sure until the guidelines are announced.

As one of the contradictions mentioned in the factsheet released by Bharat Biotech, Karnataka has not been using Covaxin for those on immunosuppressants, the official claimed.

The official mentioned that the consent form is read out to those who cannot read it and that the vaccination is administered only after their consent.

Following the immunization, no adverse event has been reported among the ones who have been administered Covaxin, the official asserted.

The state has received 1,66,240 doses of Covaxin, out of which 6,600 have been opened. Of this, about 5,905 doses have been utilized and the remaining 695 doses have gone waste.

The government is currently contemplating not bearing the treatment expenses of those who refuse to get vaccinated, as the state faced 50% vaccine hesitancy among healthcare and frontline workers.