Healthcare workers get details on Covid-19 vaccine shot via SMS

LUCKNOW: ‘Dear Mr… Your Covid vaccination session is scheduled on 22-01-2021 between 9am and 5pm…please carry your photo ID proof submitted while registration,’ read the SMS received by many healthcare workers on Thursday, a day before their vaccination.

“I got the message during the day and will visit the vaccination centre assigned at around 9.30am,” said an official of the health department.

Prior to the first round of vaccination on January 16, the bulk SMS service had not functioned well. Almost all the beneficiaries had to be informed via telephone about their vaccination centre. This time around, most of the beneficiaries received the text message.

Some got incorrect message stating that they were allotted Covishield vaccine. Later, their vaccination was cancelled via another SMS and they were reassigned the Covaxin vaccination.

This happened with the health staff at the Civil Hospital. However, the cancellation and reassignment happened within an hour and the beneficiaries were updated.

“Prior information will help beneficiaries to be prepared for the vaccination. This will help a beneficiary be mentally prepared to take the jab,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors. Officials claimed that all the beneficiaries had received the SMS and that this facility would continued throughout the vaccination drive for Covid.

“All the beneficiaries have received the SMS telling them about the vaccination timings and place,” said Dr MK Singh, in charge of vaccination in Lucknow. Dr Singh said, “Those who got SMS incorrect messages also got the correct one and the system is in place. It shall help us in better management of vaccination for the beneficiaries.”