AP Mass Vaccination Drive: Five Lakh Mothers Receive COVID Jab

Visakhapatnam: On June 20, out of the 13.72 lakh Covid vaccines administered in Andhra Pradesh, about 5 lakh mothers with children under the age of five received the vaccine. During the COVID vaccination special drive held on Sunday, emphasis was laid on vaccinating young mothers.

In a recent report, the Covid-19 pediatric task force committee recommended preferential vaccination for mothers, who may be required to accompany their Covid-positive children during hospitalization in the third wave. The decision was made on the assumption that the third wave would have a disproportionately negative impact on children.

As of Sunday, the government had identified 18.7 lakh mothers who needed inoculations and had vaccinated 10.3 lakh of them. Vaccines were also given to approximately 11,150 international students and job applicants.

From May 1, the central government's 'liberalized' vaccination drive allowed mass vaccinations for people aged 18 and up. However, Andhra Pradesh received permission from the Union health ministry to postpone vaccinations for young people because it wanted to finish the current drive for existing priority groups first.

Mothers with children under the age of five have been added to a priority vaccination group.

However, following the task force committee's recommendations, the state health department recently added young mothers and foreign travelers to the priority group.

In Andhra Pradesh, there are approximately 1.33 crore vaccine beneficiaries aged 45 and up, of whom 83.7 lakh have already received their first dose and 20 lakh have been fully vaccinated. This equates to a 63 percent vaccination coverage rate among people aged 45 and up.

As part of the government's preparations for the anticipated third wave, Anil Kumar Singhal, principal secretary for health and family welfare, added young mothers with children under the age of five to the priority group.