84% target achieved on day one as Gujarat opens slots 18-44

As Gujarat on Friday opened up Covid vaccination for the 18-44 age group across the state, remote areas struggled with internet and electricity issues compared to their urban counterparts. However, the state managed to deliver 1.89 lakh doses against its target of 2.25 lakh set by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday. The expansion of vaccination to the below 45 years of age group came a month after it started in seven municipal corporations, and Kutch, Bharuch and Mehsana districts. Apart from net issues, remote areas also saw low turnout as the announcement came late Thursday, which many were unaware of. The rural centers near Ahmedabad saw, in fact, a large number of city dwellers, who came there after failing to find slots in the corporation area. Rupani has said that ‘Village Computer Entrepreneurs’ will help the beneficiaries facing problems to register on the Co-Win platform at an honorarium of Rs.5 per registration. Anand Patel, 30, of Antapur village in Tapi, who does not have internet, says he reached Vyara town at 6 am on Friday for registration. “I was lucky, and got a slot at the community health center at 4 pm.

Falguni Gamit, 30, from Katiskuva village in the district, says she and her husband reached the CHC after reading about the campaign in newspapers. “After getting internet connectivity, we got time between 3 pm to 6 pm… Our parents are afraid of vaccination. Now he too will get a shot,” said Gamit. Tapi District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Harshad Patel said the district has an estimated 3 lakh people in the 18-44 age group, of which 3,000 are registered and 1,500 were vaccinated on Friday. Patel said he expected crowds from Saturday. “Our health officials have also inquired from neighboring villages of Maharashtra.” Dang’s Chief DHO Dr Dhansukh Gamit also recorded on Friday 1, Voters are expected to see an improvement over the weekend from a low of 295 out of 1,000 people. Valsad DHO Dr Manas Patel, however, tasted success. After fighting vaccine hesitation, mainly due to superstition, officials saw 4,700 out of 5,000 registered for the dose.

“We now hope that in the coming days, the elderly will also be vaccinated,” Patel said. The officials also expressed satisfaction with the response in the coastal districts of Gir Somnath and Amreli, which were hit by cyclone Tauke last month. More than 1,700 people were shot in Gir Somnath till 4 pm. Dr Vipul Dumatar, Block Health Officer of Una and Gir Gadha, said that more people would have come, but for the fact that many were not aware of the immunization drive till late. Dumatar said, “Since many areas of Una are still without electricity (after the cyclone), there were doubts in the minds of people whether there would be a vaccination session… In Amreli, 2,604 were vaccinated against the target of 3000. Amreli CDHO Dr JH Patel, Dr JH Patel, “Our PHC in Jaffrabad, two in Rajula and one in Khambha are still without electricity,