Third dose coverage off to slow start as only 56% get booster jab

Barely 56% of the beneficiaries eligible for the precaution dose have availed it in the state so far.

- Nisha Nambiar

Pune: The third dose drive began on January 10 for the beneficiaries in three categories — health workers, frontline workers and senior citizens. A month on, just about 60% of the eligible health workers had taken it till February 9. Bhandara, Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts top the list of beneficiary count in this category.

Around 56.27% of senior citizens have taken the precaution dose so far in Maharashtra, according to the state public health department data. Mumbai, Thane and Pune top the chart in this group.

Worse, only 51.2% of the eligible frontline workers have taken the third shot so far in the state. Raigad, Bhandara and Nashik top the coverage list for this category.