Vaccinate all above 40 by July 15 in Kerala, says Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday directed the authorities to ensure that all those above the age of 40 years in the State are vaccinated by July 15.

While speaking at the daily COVID-19 evaluation meet, Pinarayi asked all the state departments to work together to fight the pandemic.

"There are 50 lakh people, above the age of 45, yet to receive the vaccine in the State. We will get 38 lakh doses this month. The chief minister has directed to get all above the age of 40 vaccinated by July 15," a release issued by the CMO said.

The state government has also decided to include the mentally challenged in the priority list for vaccination.

Meanwhile, the state Health Minister Veena George said the state has administered over one crore vaccine doses till Friday.

The vaccination numbers include 78,75,797 first dose and 21,37,389 second dose. This was done without wasting even a single dose of vaccine.

As many as 4,74,676 people in the age group of 18 to 44 years received their first vaccine dose.

In the age group of 45 to 60 years, 27,96,267 people received their first vaccine dose while 1,97,052 people received their second dose as well.

Likewise 35,48,887 people above 60 years received their first jab and 11,38,062 received their second jab, too.

With respect to health workers, who were the first to receive the vaccine jabs, 5,20,788 got the first dose while 4,03,698 got their second one, too. Besides 5,35,179 frontline Covid warriors in the state got their first jab and 3,98,527 got both the doses.

The health ministry statement said the state received 1,04,13,620 vaccine doses and it includes 7,46,710 Covishield and 1,37,580 Covaxin vaccines which were purchased by the state government while the Centre supplied 86,84,680 Covishield and 8,44,650 Covaxin doses.

The State government has also decided to administer the second dose of Covishield vaccine, within a gap of four to six weeks, to those who are bound to travel to foreign countries.

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