With Highest Vaccine Pendency, People In This Karnataka Village Disappear When Health Staff Arrive

The district vaccination nodal officer, MS Jayanth, said that over 2.2 lakh people are yet to be administered the shot in the taluk.

A doctor vaccinating a beneficiary (Image for representation)

Chennai: The Karnataka government has been taking all efforts to vaccinate the maximum number of people in the wake of the new Covid variant, Omicron, detected in the state. However, amid the fear of an outbreak, the people in rural areas of HD Kote taluk are still showing hesitancy towards taking the jab and reportedly disappearing from their homes once health officials arrive to the taluk. 

According to a report on Times Of India, the rural pockets of HD Kote Taluk has the highest vaccine pendency among rural areas. The district vaccination nodal officer, MS Jayanth, said that over 2.2 lakh people are yet to be administered the shot in the taluk. Overall, there are 281 villages with 2.4 lakh people, but most of them continue to show vaccine hesitancy, said the report. 

However, the officer said that they have planned for several special drives and door-to-door campaigns to vaccinate the remaining population. Dr Jayanth said that recently, a mobile van was started to provide vaccines to the people and through the service, at least 2,000 people are vaccinated every day. 

Yet, another senior official said that they can vaccinate the people only if they decide to stop all government services for people who refuse to get vaccinated or introduce incentives like free rice for those who take the jab. 

The District Health Officer KH Prasad said many people are due for their vaccines, including the second dosage. In the overall district, he said, as per his record, there are 24 lakh beneficiaries above the age of 18 and the district has partially vaccinated 94% of them, he added.