Agartala (Tripura) [India], January 1 (ANI): Tripura National Health Mission Director Siddhartha Shiv Jaiswal on Saturday said that there are about four lakh people in the state who have not received the second dose of the Covid vaccine.

In an exclusive interaction with ANI, Jaiswal said, "We have already administered a total of 46.97 lakh vaccine doses in the state among which 21,28,000 people have already received both the jabs. The total projected population in the 18 years plus category was 25,69,000 and 82 per cent of this population has received full vaccination".

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The remaining 18 per cent eligible beneficiaries, he said, who are not showing up at the vaccination centres for the second dose, are being traced through health teams and telephone calls to ensure that they get their prescribed dose. "The total population with the second dose due would be 4,08,000. The health teams are trying to connect with them to ensure that their vaccination is done," said Jaiswal.

Jaiswal also informed that registration portals have been opened for fresh vaccination entries for children between the age group of 15 years to 18 years.

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"As per the new guidelines, we are starting vaccination for the children from January 3, while the precaution doses would be administered to healthcare workers, frontline workers and people with comorbidities," he added.

According to the NHM Director, the number of people who would be covered through these two drives is 2,13,000 and 91,200 respectively.

A total of 354 special vaccination sites would be opened for that purpose.

Jaiswal also appealed to the people to participate in the drive and to get inoculated in time. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)