A little over 60 per cent of the people who were supposed to be vaccinated across Bengal took the Covid jab on Monday. In Calcutta, the figure was slightly better at 81 per cent.

The health authorities have decided to draw up a longer list from now to ensure that more people are vaccinated each day.

On Saturday, the day Covid-19 vaccination was launched across the nation, Bengal had witnessed around 75.9 per cent turnout. Calcutta’s figure was 93 per cent.

Co-Win, the app developed by the Centre for Covid vaccination, had developed snags on Saturday, too, but health officials said the turnout was higher because of manual mobilisation of recipients.

The authorities arranged for replacements for those who had either not received an intimation or couldn't make it to the designated site.

On Monday, the entire vaccination programme was routed through Co-Win. Health officials said that since Sunday evening, the app functioned erratically. As a result, most of those who were selected for the jab started receiving text messages for Monday's programme a little after Sunday midnight. Most didn't see the messages in the early hours of the day and by the time some did, they realised it was well past their designated time.

Since manual mobilisation was not allowed, there was no way others could be allowed to take the jab. As a result, the number of those receiving the shot came down on the second day.

“We have decided to increase the number of prospective recipients from 100 to 200 for each site,” said a health department official. “The idea is to ensure that more people get text messages. This will hopefully push up the turnout.”