DK Shivakumar ‘challenges’ Karnataka Government To Vaccinate 80% In 3 Months

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BENGALURU:

Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar today threw an “open challenge” to the Karnataka government to fully vaccinate 80% of the state’s population by 30th September.

Shivakumar said that Karnataka can be saved from the third wave of Covid if 80% of the state’s adult population is given both doses by the end of September.

“Experts are predicting that the third wave will hit us by October. However, if we fully vaccinate at least 80% of the adult population by September-end, there may be no third wave. Even if there is, it will be very mild. That’s why I’m asking the Karnataka government if they are up for this challenge?” said Shivakumar.

Emphasizing the importance of vaccination, the Karnataka government has so far given only around 7% of the eligible population both doses, he said, “The government should stop talking about how many doses it has given. What matters is a double dose. With only a single dose, there is very little protection. With both doses, there is very high protection. Studies from Mumbai, London, New York are all saying both doses will save us. The Karnataka government has to, has to, has to give BOTH doses to at least 80% of adults in the state by 30 September. If they fail to do so, they will be responsible for the third wave.”

“The target is not an impossible one. It is totally possible. Now that we have stopped donating vaccines to other countries, we should be able to vaccinate our people really fast. The central government is also supposed to be providing 75% vaccines free to the state government. If BJP leaders don’t obsess over doing their own small scams with private vaccination, we can easily achieve 80% vaccination in 3 months,” Shivakumar said.

“The truth is that the BJP government in the state is unable to get enough vaccines out of the BJP government at the center. After a one-day event management style jump in vaccination, the numbers have come down again. North Karnataka is being particularly treated like a stepchild but even in Bengaluru now, there is a shortage of vaccines. People are standing in queues to get vaccinated and the health minister says he will need to travel to Delhi to beg for supplies,” the Congress leader said.

He added the government may need to revise guidelines to administer the second dose of Covishield within 8 weeks as the international consensus seems to be that it is the best dosage gap to fight the Delta variant, he said.

“Congress leaders have organized their own vaccination camps. We have vaccinated 1 lakh people free of cost. We had also asked the government permission to let the Congress party procure vaccines directly from vaccine makers but they denied us the permission. We wanted to use MLA/MLC development funds for the same but our offer was not accepted. If they don’t need our help, never mind. But please do mass vaccinate at great speed so that the third wave does not affect us,” he said.

The Karnataka Congress recently organized a contest for children to make social media videos asking adults to get vaccinated. SO far, 20,000 videos have been posted on various social media platforms, and 22 students have been given an Android tablet as a prize.

“We are doing our bit in persuading people to get vaccinated and we will do more. The problem is not one of demand but supply. It is the BJP which spreads vaccine hesitancy so that it doesn’t have to answer questions about the lack of vaccines,” Shivakumar said.

“It is a matter of great concern that, experts say children could be the worst affected in the third wave. We don’t want a third wave. We can shoo away the third wave. All we have to do is to vaccinate 80% population before the third wave begins. Even if the third wave comes, mass vaccination will ensure that it is very mild. We don’t want lockdowns, we don’t want queues in crematoria, we don’t want people dying because of lack of hospital beds, we don’t want the horrors of black fungus. So, on behalf of the people of Karnataka, I plead to the government to vaccinate 80% in 3 months with both doses. I hope they accept my challenge,” Shivakumar said, adding that he will present a memorandum to the Governor about the same.