Aim to vaccinate entire adult population by Nov: K'taka minister

Bengaluru, Sep 6 (IANS) Karnataka Health and Medical Education K. Sudhakar said on Monday that the government is working with a target to fully vaccinate the entire adult population by the end of November.

Speaking to the media after holding a virtual meeting with the DCs and Zilla Parishad CEOs of 23 districts that are lagging in vaccination coverage, Sudhakar said that these 23 district administrations have been given a target to speed up coverage and complete the first dose for all by the end of this month.

"The target has been set to complete both the doses for all by November. Progress and achievement on testing, setting up of oxygen plants and other civil works were also discussed," the minister said.

Last year, the government had allowed the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi despite the high number of Covid cases.

"This year, we have a positivity rate of 0.7 per cent and guidelines have been issued to ensure precautionary measures, especially in public celebrations. We will review the situation district-wise and issue separate guidelines wherever the positivity is more than 2 per cent," the minister said.

"A 12-year-old boy has succumbed to the Nipah virus in Kerala. We have taken strict measures to ensure that the virus doesn't spread here. We also need to be vigilant to prevent the third wave of the pandemic," he added.