What happens now? From a hundred per cent first dose of vaccination coverage, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took the figure a notch higher putting it at 102 per cent. The math behind the tally is baffling, as much as the purpose of such celebratory milestones. Sensing that the government is playing to the optics of percentages, the Opposition has pounced on this self-proclaimed achievement, tearing into the vaccination programme.
We reiterate that celebrating insignificant milestones on vaccination makes no sense. The government has been effectively teasing the Opposition by trumpeting accomplishments that otherwise have no real meaning. The truth is that thousands of Goans are yet to get themselves vaccinated, and meeting the October deadline remains as vague as a shadow.
On the flip side, there is no denying the fact that the government has put together its resources to ensure that the vaccine reaches every citizen willing to take the shot. Leave aside the political mileage drawn, there are genuine efforts that have gone to take the vaccination forward. The Tika Utsavs, which were being mocked during the early stages, have ensured convenience and accessibility.
Ironically, vaccination has turned out to be a political talking point, both for the government and the Opposition. While the government is scoring big with its outreach, the Opposition is seizing every opportunity to pick holes, and the vaccination coverage numbers provided one such opportunity.
Sawant disclosed that nine of the ten patients who died last week were not vaccinated, this in itself shows that Goa has a long way to go. But the statement also reflects how crucial the doses are in the fight against the virus. Research data shows that people who contract Covid after vaccination are likely to have a lower viral load, experience a shorter period of infection, and have milder symptoms leading to faster recovery.
Since the vaccination is believed to be a proven lifesaver in Covid times, there has to be a collective effort to ensure that more and more people benefit from the shots. Although these percentage-based milestones are misleading, the over-emphasis on the vaccination coverage is unwarranted.
The government is deserving of the critique for celebrating an insignificant milestone, but the larger question is that vaccination should not be a target of this equally useless political mudslinging. While every Goan will admit that full coverage of the first dose is a farcical declaration, and despite all the flak over the claim, there has to be a conscious effort to take the vaccination forward in the larger interest of all.
While charging the government of falsehood and lies, legislators and leaders have also to take the onus on themselves for not achieving full coverage. Instead of only harping on the falsities and numbers, it would be prudent for each MLA to play their part as people's representatives. The cross-fire on vaccination is completely political, sadly, at a time when the welfare of citizens should have been a priority.
