Tamil Nadu: The health department of Tamil Nadu will organise 6th mega Covid-19-vaccination drive for the second shot on October 23, Saturday, according to details derived from the source.

 The state has till Wednesday administered second dose only to 26 per cent of its population and is lagging behind other South Indian states such as Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Prades,  and Telangana.  It is also behind the national average which is at 29 per cent. Kerala and Karnataka administered 33 percent each, while Andhara and  Tengana adminsitered36 and 28 percent respectively.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu health department also said that the low percentage of second dose of vaccine is a matter of concern. The health department is attributing it to hesitancy among the rural population. Many people, especially in rural Tamil Nadu are of the belief that one dose of vaccine was enough to ward off the pandemic and hence there is a hesitancy among the people for a second dose even as the state health department has conducted several drives to increase the awareness.

The state health minister Ma Subramanian said, "Around 57 lakh people are due for the second dose and in the sixth mega vaccination camp to be held on Saturday, we are expecting to administer the vaccine to around 20 to 25 lakh people and have directed officials to concentrate more on the second dose."

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