Karnataka TAC suggests periodic Covid vaccination surveillance

State Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee says completing the second dose is the best way to contain the new variants.

The state Covid-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has recommended periodic surveillance of last-mile vaccination coverage, especially of the second dose.

“We have proposed a particular methodology for it. It will be unique to Karnataka. There is consensus that the Delta sub-lineage AY 4.2 may not be as big a threat. We have also had Delta Plus cases that were halted in its track. The answer to containing the spread of new variants is the completion of the second dose vaccination.

“Currently, in terms of Covid cases, we are in a similar position as we were in March this year, when there was a dip before the second wave,” a source said.

The proposals were made at a midnight meeting of the TAC on Thursday. It suggested the periodic survey be conducted once in two weeks.

The TAC has also recommended to the state to focus on vaccination at schools and workplaces, besides a headcount of the unvaccinated in villages by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department.

The house-to-house vaccination proposed by TAC is already underway in several districts.