PM to interact with Goans on Sept 18 over 100 pc first dose COVID-19 vaccination

The details of the programme would be announced on Thursday, Sawant told reporters. ''PM Modi will interact with the members of the state cabinet, health officials, district collectors, panchayat members and beneficiaries of the vaccination programme. He will congratulate them for cent per cent coverage of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines,'' he said. 

The state has set the target of covering all the eligible population with both the doses by October 31 this year, the CM added. He said that Tika Utsav 3.2 will begin in the state from September 16 onwards. ''If everyone participates, we will be able to complete the second dose vaccination to the entire population,'' he said. 

Sawant said that as per the central government's data, there are 11.66 lakh people who are eligible for vaccination in Goa, but so far 11.88 lakh people have been vaccinated with the first dose in the state, which amounts to 102 per cent coverage. These beneficiaries include tourists and migrant population, he said. According to him, 5.2 lakh people have been given the second dose, which amounts to 43 per cent of the entire eligible population. ''There are 1.70 lakh people who are due for second vaccine this week. If they take the jab, it would take second jab coverage to 60 per cent,'' he said.