'Ensure all adults get 1st vax dose during Har Ghar Dastak drive'

New Delhi: Stating that the fight against Covid is at the final stage, Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday cautioned against letting the guard down before it is completely over and requested states to enhance the vaccination coverage and motivate the over 12 crore beneficiaries who are due for their second dose to take it.

He also urged states and Union Territories to ensure the entire adult population is administered the first dose during the ongoing "Har Ghar Dastak" campaign.

During a virtual interaction with the health ministers of states and UTs, Mandaviya observed that the fight against COVID-19 is at the final stage, a ministry statement said.

"The two weapons of vaccination and CAB (COVID-19-appropriate behaviour) will be our greatest defence against it and we should not let our guard down before it is completely over," he said.

India added 13,091 new infections in a span of 24 hours taking the country's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,44,01,670, while the active cases declined to 1,38,556, the lowest in 266 days, according to the ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,62,189 with 340 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The minister stated that at present 79 per cent of the adult population has got the first dose of vaccine and 38 per cent has also received the second dose.

"Let us ensure collectively through collaborative and multi-stakeholder efforts that no eligible citizen is left without the 'suraksha kawachh' of COVID-19 vaccine in the country. Let us reach each corner and household across the country and motivate people to take both the doses under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign," he said.

He emphasised that while vaccination reduces the severity of the disease, adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour is of utmost importance to ensure that the gains made collectively by the country so far are not frittered away and there is not any other surge of COVID-19 cases, according to the statement.

The meeting also reviewed the public health measures for containment and management of COVID-19 in states and UTs.

Underlining that children can be the best ambassadors for behaviour change, he urged states and UTs to rope them in for taking forward the message of full vaccination. "Let the children motivate their parents and other family members to take both the vaccine doses," he stated. He also laid emphasis on utilising weekly bazaars and haats for creating awareness and providing vaccination services, collaborating with local religious and community leaders, roping in civil society organisations, NGOs, etc. for motivating the unvaccinated in village/urban areas; multi-media awareness campaigns to effectively counter anti-vaccine rumours; and emulating innovative approaches and practices followed by high coverage districts.