New Delhi, Jun 1 (IANS): 'Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0' to accelerate the pace and coverage of Covid vaccination across states and UTs began on Wednesday.

The states and UTs have been advised to give an intensive push towards full Covid vaccination coverage by inoculating all eligible beneficiaries.

Incorporating the experience and learning from 'Har Ghar Dastak campaign' launched in November 2021, 'Har Ghar Dastak 2.0' will be implemented from June 1, 2022 to July 31, 2022. The objective of the 'Har Ghar Dastak 2.0' Abhiyan is to vaccinate and cover the eligible population groups for first, second and precaution doses through door-to-door campaigns.

The major focus will also remain on improving sub-optimal coverage of persons aged 60 years with precaution dose, along with considerably slower speed of coverage in the 12-14 years cohort by focussed campaigns for old age homes, schools, colleges including the out-of-school children prisons, brick kilns, etc.

The states and UTs have been urged to undertake effective monitoring with respective micro-plans based on due lists of all eligible beneficiaries. They have been also urged to review administration of precaution dose to 18-59 years age-group with the private hospitals on a regular basis.

As of now, total 193.57 crore doses have been administered across the country under the national vaccination drive. As per the health ministry report, 96.3 per cent of all persons above 15 years of age have received at least one dose and 86.3 per cent have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine.