Meghalaya, Oct 25: Even as countries try to hike their vaccination rates, they are facing a slowdown after the initial uptick in numbers. One of the major reasons for this is increasing vaccine hesitancy in the unvaccinated population. Meghalaya Joint Secretary & Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM) Ram Kumar on Oct 25 informed that almost 2 lakh people in Meghalaya are overdue for their second dose but are not taking it.

Kumar said when second wave hit the state there were many of them who took the vaccine in between May, June and July.

“This is quite again very concerning so we have actually told the district to make the micro plans for second dose,” said Kumar.

The mission director urged all of those who are yet to take their vaccines and also those overdue for second dose to come forward. According to the department, regular advertisement has been published in the newspaper and other media.

Urging the people of the state, Kumar said “People who have taken their first dose please come and take your second dose because the protection second dose gives is twice or more than that in terms of the first dose protection,” added Kumar.

Vaccine hesitancy often spreads in communities like an infection and results in the outbreaks. The increased prevalence of vaccine hesitancy has been deemed as a global health threat by the World Health Organization.

As per reports, the total of people vaccinated in Meghalaya till date with the first dose is 10, 95,389 and that of second dose is 5, 99,876.