Lack of awareness leads to lukewarm response at pvt centres for booster

CHENNAI: The administration of booster dose vaccination for those aged 18 years and above at private vaccination centres began on Sunday.

However, response was lukewarm. The private hospital authorities say that the announcement was sudden, and it will take some time to get the protocols in place.

“It is too early for us to determine response rate to the announcement. Also, people did not have much time to register on the Co-WIN portal. It might pick-up more pace over the next few weeks,” said Dr Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan, senior consultant, Infectious Diseases, Kauvery Hospital.

Doctors say that there’s lack of awareness on the need for precautionary booster dose, especially among people with comorbidities. “It’s important for certain high-risk people among the middle-aged group to get vaccinated as managing the disease with several comorbidities becomes difficult. Testing rate has come down and relaxations are in place. So eligible people with co-morbidities must get vaccinated,” she explained. “Let’s not forget that during the Omicron wave, severity of the infection was limited, and vaccination was one of the reasons.”

Representatives from a private hospital in Nungambakkam said that they’ve taken account availability of stocks. Plus, updating details on Co-WIN could also take a few more days for booster vaccination shots to pick up.

Meanwhile, the state health department officials say that there are plans of conducting vaccination camps along with private hospitals for adults.