As the COVID19 cases across the country reduce and the positivity rate drops to 7.25 per cent, people were found unwilling to take the precaution or booster dose. Although 58 per cent of those eligible are likely to take it in the months to come, 42 per cent are currently hesitant to take the third dose of vaccines that protect against the coronavirus. Of those hesitant, 14 per cent surveyed citizens are unlikely to get the third jab at all.

This was revealed in a survey by Local Circles, a community social media platform that enables the government to make citizen-centric policies. Over 22,000 people were interviewed as part of the survey conducted by LocalCircles.

India’s active caseload is at 1,108,938. India has logged 83,876 new cases of COVID19 in the last 24 hours, as per the data shared by the Union health ministry today, February 7.

Amid the third wave fuelled by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, India started administering precaution dose or the third dose of the vaccine to the frontline workers and elderly with comorbidities from January 10 this year. 

The decision was taken after two doses of vaccines were found to provide limited immunity against Omicron. The survey noted that the demand for precaution dose is currently low. So far, 14,890,677 doses have been administered in four weeks.

“Some citizens do not believe that the precaution dose is effective. Health experts believe that the uptake is also low due to the mild symptoms and low death rate linked with Omicron,” stated the survey report dated February 5.

Meanwhile, the survey suggested that the government must consider adding precaution doses and vaccination for children to the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ programme as 81 per cent respondents were found in favour of this move. Last year in October, the Union health ministry launched the door-to-door vaccination campaign — ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ — to ensure that people get fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

“The ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ proved successful during the first campaign with a 5.9 per cent increase in 1st dose coverage and 11.7 per cent in 2nd dose coverage within the first month of the campaign. It also reduced for recipients the risk of contracting the virus at vaccination centres,” stated the survey.

So far 1,696 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country.

The survey also found that of those eligible for precaution dose, 29 per cent had COVID19 and plan on taking the third dose later while 29 per cent are waiting for daily cases to reduce.