State May Make Aggressive Efforts For Administration Of Second Dose Of Covid-19 Vaccine To All Eligible: Tripura High Court

The Tripura High Court has suggested the State Government may make more aggressive efforts to administer the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine to all eligible people.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Akhil Kureshi and Justice S.G. Chattopadhyay observed that the State administration needs to make greater efforts to ensure coverage of the remaining population, who have not received even the first dose. However, administration of second dose of vaccine to those who have already received the first shot must also receive the same amount of attention, it said.

The remarks were made as the Bench noted a substantial decline in administration of second dose.

Advocate General S.S. Dey stated that all centres in the State are open to administering the second dose, and there are sufficient vaccines and mechanisms to administer the same. However, he wondered if the slow response for receiving a second dose was because of the relatively improved corona situation in the State, leading to reluctance or complacency.

"We hope these are not the factors contributing to relatively slow administration of second dose of vaccines. If found to be one of the factors, the State may consider making more aggressive efforts in order to administer second dose to all eligible people," the Bench observed.

Based on the daily updated vaccination data, the administration has a stock of over 8 lakh vaccines, and a supply of further around 3.5 lakh vaccines shortly is promised. The Court observed that as against this number, the daily number of vaccines administered in the recent past has gone down substantially. Government data shows that more than 90% of the eligible population over 18 has received the first dose of vaccine. Given the data, the Court remarked,

"Understandably, the second dose of vaccines has reached fewer people. While therefore, the State administration may see the need to make greater efforts to ensure coverage of the remaining population, who have so far not received even the first dose, administration of second dose of vaccine to those who have already received the first shot must also receive the same amount of attention."

The Court did not issue any further directions observing the recent trend of corona positivity in the State showing a steady decline (2.5% positivity rate in Tripura) and the relaxed restrictions. However, it struck a word of caution, stating that learning from experience, reducing the number of corona infections cannot be seen as the disappearance of the pandemic.

"This virus has shown a nasty tendency of mutating and reappearing with vengeance. We are sure the State administration is acutely aware of this phenomenon. We would also appeal to the residents of the State, not to drop their guard against the virus and continue to take all precautions to ensure that the rate of infection does not rise again," the Court added.

Case Number: W.P. ( C) (PIL) No.09/2020, W.P. (C) (PIL) No.07/2021 and W.P. (C) (PIL) No.08/2021

Coram: Chief Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice S.G. Chattopadhyay

Counsel for Petitioners: Mr. Soumik Deb, Mr. R. Guha and Mr. P. R. Roy Burman

Counsel for Respondents: Mr. S.S. Dey, Advocate General and Ms. Ayantika Chakraborty, Advocate.

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