COVID vaccine: Why less inoculations

The government has been claiming high and tall about the vaccination drive launched across Jammu and Kashmir in January this year. However, the ground situation is quite contrary to what is being divulged and what is being informed. The district-wise mapping of J&K’s vaccination coverage against COVID-19 has punctured all such claims and as it has stated that only 31.42 percent of population aged above 45 years has been vaccinated in Srinagar. The district as per the data is figured at the 19th position in 20 districts of the UT vis-à-vis percentage of the population above 45 years of age. The district is one of the worst performers in terms of vaccination against the deadly virus. Of the total 1,96,585 cases detected in J&K since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March last year, 49,220 cases have been reported from Srinagar while 580 deaths have also taken place in the district due to COVID-19. The lesser number of inoculations in one of the most COVID affected districts has put a question mark over the functioning of the administration and health sector as well. The cause behind less inoculation was also the outcome of the online registration process which is made mandatory by the government for the people in the age group of 18-45. One fails to understand why the administration is not focusing on vaccinating the people without registration. There are the people who are ‘illiterate’ in the digital world and thus it stands the responsibility of the government to start the vaccination drive without registration so that the number of eligible can be vaccinated without any hindrance and difficulty.