In a bid to build state immunity against the resurging coronavirus, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday launched a special focused COVID vaccination drive to immunise people of different social groups who are above 45 years of age. As per reports, the targeted vaccination drive will be conducted across all districts, including Lucknow, till April 23, under the charge of Chief Medical Officers.

Date-wise COVID vaccination schedule:

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F01%2Fh_56653927.jpg%3Fresize%3D770%2C513&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com&s=855&h=0654beff1573ec1ce26f71e9a698bda02fa3b7b2f2732a410b8c34118e6ff4e1&size=980x&c=2326069696 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/h_56653927.jpg?resize=770%2C513" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2021%252F01%252Fh_56653927.jpg%253Fresize%253D770%252C513%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.aljazeera.com%26s%3D855%26h%3D0654beff1573ec1ce26f71e9a698bda02fa3b7b2f2732a410b8c34118e6ff4e1%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2326069696%22%7D" expand=1]

The Mission Director, National Health Mission Uttar Pradesh has announced a detailed vaccination schedule for this special immunity drive, as well. The agenda has been devised based on occupation and allows an average of 2 days to each social group:

1. April 8, 2021 - April 9, 2021: Journalists, media workers, retail and wholesale shopkeepers
2. April 10, 2021: Bank and insurance employees
3. April 12, 2021 - April 14, 2021: Teachers of schools and colleges
4. April 15, 2021 - April 16, 2021: Auto rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers and employees of the construction sector
5. April 17, 2021 - April 19, 2021: Government employees and officers other than frontline workers
6. April 20, 2021 - April 21, 2021: Lawyers and workers of the judiciary
7. April 22, 2021 - April 23, 2021: Employees of the private sector

Vaccination and personal caution are the only defence against the coronavirus infection and eligible beneficiaries must get their shot on the scheduled dates.

Meanwhile, the state is witnessing a sharp increase in the Covid cases. With 6,023 new Covid patients in the last 24 hours, UP currently has 31,987 active cases. 40 deaths were reported on Wednesday. State capital, Lucknow has witnessed the sharpest blow of the second wave here. Fresh case count surged to 1,346 here on April 7, the highest tally ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020.