IT News
Imphal, June 2:
The third phase Covid-19 vaccination programme which started on May 17 could manage to vaccinate only 31,777 people between the ages of 18 to 44 years across the state of Manipur. Source from the State Vaccine Store (SVS) said that for starting the third phase vaccination programme (people between 18 years to 44 years, the State government received a total of 39,840 doses of Covishield on May 12. Initially, the India government announced to begin the third phase vaccination from May 1.
As the central authority had delayed in sending Covid vaccine, the state even after receiving the package on May 12 had to begin from May 17 for this third phase. There is nothing harm in being late than never, At least the vaccination started, but to the dismay of many people between this age group.
“As we have heard about vaccination drive of our age from May 1, we have registered at Cowin application to get vaccination on May 1”, told a pharmacist salesman to this reporter. Thirteen days later the same person said that he haven get scheduled for the vaccination, and he was worried about whether he get vaccinated or not.
As per the 2021 census report, the total of people between age 20 to 44 is 1,14,2,495. This is 2021, the number could have been much more if one analysed the growth rate of the population. Manipur’s total population as on 1911 was just 3,46,222, but in 2021 the population reached 2,855,794. For reason best known the census, 2021 has not been revealed but some expert opines the number could have reached 34 lakhs. In ten years Manipur’s population was increased by 25,09,572 as per census records. And it is obvious that the number of people between age 20 to 44 is 1,14,2,495 as per 2011 census could have been increased a lot.
Taking the data from the 2011 census out of the 1,14,2,495 plus people between 18 years to 45 years, it took the Health department to vaccinate just 31,777 in 13 days.
Total Vaccination plan conducted for the whole of Manipur starting from January 16, when the first phase vaccination began, was 6747 and held at 6557, total population vaccinated including all is 469,096, as per the official record.
As many as 1,110,718 people are yet to be vaccinated. In 13 days or say 11 days as Sunday is not a working day for health department authority no matter the situation today is emergency, – just 31,777 could be vaccinated. That means if the remaining people of age group 18 to 44 has to be completed it will take 455 day that is 1 year and 3 months, presuming that there is no holiday.
The number of positive cases has not climbed down from 3 digits and the number of death still is 2 digit figures in May. There were reports of positive cases reaching 4 digit numbers in just one month.
There is no guarantee that the vaccination will protect us all but it has been universally accepted that the only alternative to remaining protected is vaccination. Taking a year and three months to vaccinate 1,110,718 is like waiting for more to become victims of the Covid-19 .
“Unless and until the government speed up the vaccination drive the Covid casualty may be on the rise and the government will be busy accommodating positive cases, besides getting lots of criticisms”, an observer said.
After all, any defect to the dealing of this pandemic will certainly, impact in the upcoming 2022 state assembly election.
