Over 5,900 healthcare workers received the Covid- 19 vaccine in Delhi today, the fourth scheduled day of the immunisation exercise in the national capital, according to official data.

The number of people vaccinated today accounted for 73 per cent of the targeted figure of 8,100, according to the data. It indicated a marked rise in the vaccination figure as compared to those on the previous three days.

On the day four of the coronavirus vaccination drive in Delhi, 5,942 people were reportedly administered the shots and adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) was reported in 24 persons.

Under the nationwide mega Covid vaccination drive launched on 16 January, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117 were administered the jabs at 81 centres across Delhi on the day one. On the second scheduled day in the national capital last Monday, this figure stood at nearly 3,600.

The sharp fall in these numbers came after 1 severe and 50 minor cases of AEFI were reported following the vaccination drive in the city on 16 January.

Delhi’s vaccination figure last Monday was 3,598 (44 per cent), while the count on Tuesday was much higher at 4,936 (48 per cent). Today was the fourth scheduled day of vaccination in Delhi.

Various reasons were being attributed to the low turnout in the initial days, including some technical issues and fears related to adverse events.

However, the government has maintained that no case of serious or severe AEFI is attributable to vaccination till date.

Meanwhile, seeking to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid, the Delhi government has made a provision whereby healthcare workers will have an option to get shots at a registered centre ahead of their scheduled day for vaccination, health minister Satyendar Jain said.

Talking to reporters, Jain said that all efforts will be made to ensure minimal wastage of vaccines.

“We have reached a milestone of one crore Covid tests, meaning nearly half of Delhi’s population we have tested so far. The cases are coming low now, it was 228 yesterday with a positivity rate of 0.36 per cent. So, we can say the pandemic situation is under control,” Jain said.

Asked if Delhi would eventually see zero case of Covid, the minister said that swine flu subsided but cases still get reported, so the pandemic will go away but it is very difficult to say no cases will be recorded.

On the low turnout of healthcare workers for vaccination, Jain said they are being encouraged and that they are coming forward now.

“In fact, we have made a provision, whereby a healthcare worker will have an option to get a vaccine shot at a registered centre ahead of scheduled day for vaccination. So, if it is scheduled for 15 days later, his or her name can be found from the database so that the jab can be given earlier,” he said.

Jain also said that the low number of active Covid cases in Delhi was also “satisfactory”.

Asked about the number of new coronavirus strain cases in the city, he said, “Seventy were admitted at LNJP Hospital, and all were mild cases”. Sources said nearly all of them have been discharged. Till 9 January, only seven such patients were left at the hospital.

As the number of tests conducted in Delhi to detect Covid crossed the one croremark, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hailed the milestone as a “new record” for the city. In a tweet yesterday, he had also asserted that Delhi has “successfully contained the scale and spread” of the infection.

Delhi today recorded 227 fresh Covid cases and 8 deaths, even as its positivity rate plunged to 0.28 per cent.

The city’s coronavirus caseload climbed to 6,33,276 and its Covid death toll mounted to 10,782, according to the Delhi government’s latest health bulletin.

Delhi’s tally of active coronavirus cases dipped to 2,120, the health bulletin said.

The city had yesterday recorded 228 coronavirus infections and 10 deaths, even as the total number of Covid tests conducted in the city till then crossed the one-crore mark. These cases were detected out of 63,161 tests with the positivity rate standing at 0.36 per cent.

~With inputs from PTI~