Only 25 % people in Odisha took Covid-19 precaution dose, says official

The Odisha government appealed to the people on Saturday to take the precaution dose against coronavirus as soon as possible as few weeks are left for the period of free jabs and only a quarter of the targeted population got vaccinated with the third shot.

A total of 80.90 lakh people, including frontline workers and those in the 18-60 age group and above 60 years, have taken the precaution dose, Health Director Bijay Panigrahi said at a press briefing in Bhubaneswar.

"Around 25 per cent of the targeted population have taken the precaution dose while many are yet to take the jab," he said, adding that 23 lakh beneficiaries of the first shot had the second one due even now.

Panigrahi appealed to people to take the precaution dose by September 30, the deadline set by the Union government for giving free jabs at public healthcare institutions.

The COVID-19 tally rose to 13,28,244 on Saturday as 174 more people, including 13 children, tested positive for the infection, a health bulletin said.

The toll climbed to 9,179 as a 74-year-old man succumbed to the disease in Bhubaneswar. Fifty-three other patients have died due to comorbidities so far, it said.

Odisha had recorded 226 infections and a fatality on Friday.

The state now has 1,734 active COVID-19 cases, while 236 more people recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 13,17,278.

The daily positivity rate was at 1.32 per cent as 13,217 samples were tested for the infection in the last 24 hours.