Booster shot in need of a boost as citizens shy away despite Covid surge

Fewer than 20% have taken precautionary vaccine dose, with Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru accounting for a quarter of the jabs taken by the 18-59 age group

Covid-19 cases are on the rise again in the country, but the government, despite its best efforts, has not been able to convince citizens to get the precautionary third dose of the vaccine.

A Business Standard analysis found that until June 23, less than 20 per cent of those eligible had been administered the precautionary dose of the vaccine.
 

Of the 1.4 million doses administered on June 23, 452,600 were precautionary. Of these, over 100,000 were administered to the 18-59 age group, and 352,084 to those aged 60 and above as well as frontline and healthcare workers.

While 38.3 million