Bengaluru Urban district 1st in Karnataka with 100% 2nd dose coverage

The total beneficiaries vaccinated with the second dose was 10,34,184

Bangalore Urban district (excluding the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)) area became the first among the 31 districts in Karnataka to achieve 100% second dose vaccination coverage here on Thursday.

The district had an adult target population (2021 projected population of individuals aged 18 and above) of 10,32,000 but the total beneficiaries vaccinated with the first dose (which include healthcare workers, frontline workers and citizens) are 13,26,255. The percentage of population vaccinated with the first dose is 129%.

At 7.30 am, the total beneficiaries vaccinated with the second dose were 10,34,184.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, tweeted saying, "Karnataka has now vaccinated 3/4th (75%) of its adult population with both doses! Bengaluru Urban (excluding BBMP) has become the first district in Karnataka to achieve 100% second dose coverage! Congratulations to all the health workers and the district administration for this remarkable feat!"

The state in comparison which has a target of 4,89,16,000 people has given the first dose to 4,72,87,089 (97%) people, and the second dose to 3,66,16,251 (75%) people.

Bangalore Urban district Deputy Commissioner J Manjunath addressing a press conference on the vaccination milestone on Thursday said, "This was made possible not just because of health and frontline workers, ASHAs and ANMs but also a 24/7 Covid backroom team consisting of 10-12 members who create vaccination session sites, look into technical problems from the field staff, and check vaccine availability and its equitable distribution without taking leave and working on public holidays."

"We will continue to administer the second dose to the extra 29% of the population that we administered the first dose to which includes the floating population and migrant workers who come to Bangalore Urban district for work. On an average we administer 8,000 to 10,000 doses everyday in the district.

We also have a call centre calling people and asking them whether they have taken the second dose. We also send reminders on SMS. With the government mandating vaccination for entry to public places like theatres and malls, more people will come forward," he said.

While making a presentation on the geography and demographics of the district, Manjunath said, there are five taluks in the district spread over an area of 2,189 sq km. While the BBMP covers 709 sq km, the two city municipal councils cover 35.81 sq kms. As many as seven town municipal councils cover 74.29 sq km.

There are 86 gram panchayats and 864 revenue villages in which there are 1,038 habitations, all of which cover 1,369.90 sq kms. "The approximate population is 1.5 crore and excluding BBMP's 1.35 crore, it is 15 lakh to 16 lakh," he said.

As far as public health facilities and district healthcare personnel are concerned, there are three taluk hospitals, three community health centres, 36 primary health centres, and 117 sub centres. There are 40 specialists, 39 doctors (general duty medical officers), 300 paramedical staff, 837 ASHA workers and 150 contractual staff that include AYUSH doctors and extra vaccine administrators who were hired.

Timeline:

-- Before the nation-wide rollout of the Covid vaccination drive on January 16, meta data on infrastructure and manpower in government and private hospitals was collected.

-- Data on those aged 18 years and above was collected, apart from data on health workers and frontline workers, which was entered in the CoWIN portal.

-- A dry run was conducted on January 9.

-- January 16: Nationwide rollout of vaccination including in Bangalore Urban District in a phase wise manner for healthcare workers first.

-- February 2: Vaccination for frontline workers, paramilitary forces, the police, and civic workers among others eligible for vaccine was rolled out.

-- March 1: Vaccination rolled out for the elderly and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities.

-- Pink vaccination booths were set up at CV Raman Hospital on International Women's Day on March 8 including in Bangalore Urban district.

-- Vaccination was conducted for 5,400 inmates and staff of Bengaluru's central prison in Parappana Agrahara.

-- April 12: Vaccination Utsav at Biocon's Syngene for its employees.

-- Workplace paid vaccination (funded by various companies/employers) organised by Narayana Hrudayalaya in Electronic City, Jigani and Bommasandra industrial areas.

-- Priority/mass vaccination held for 150 Mylan lab employees who manufacture Covid drug Remdesivir and for those who manufacture Dolo 650 painkiller tablets.

-- May 1: Vaccination was rolled out for adults but only state government-identified 22 categories of construction workers, street vendors and garment factory workers.

-- From June 21: Vaccination melas started across all districts when vaccines were available in abundance. Bangalore Urban district outperformed every district in every vaccination mela, especially on September 17, on PM Modi's birthday when over 77,000 were vaccinated (145% coverage as against 50,000 given target).

-- August 29: Bangalore Urban district became the first district in the state and possibly in the country to achieve 100% vaccination coverage in the first dose.

-- November 3: Har ghar dastak (door-to-door) campaign was started for Covid vaccination.

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