38K frontline workers from south Malwa identified for vaccination

BATHINDA : More than 38,000 healthcare workers from seven districts in Punjab’s south Malwa region have been identified for the Covid-19 vaccination programme which is scheduled to start from Saturday.

Health officials said the department workers engaged in Covid-19 duty, private, army and railways institutes would be administered the vaccine in a phased manner.

Bathinda has the maximum 12,156 frontline workers from the southern region followed by 5,846 in Faridkot, Fazilka (5092),

Ferozepur (4,743), Muktsar (4,363), Mansa (3,216) and Moga (2,700) who will be vaccinated in the coming weeks.The state healthy authorities have identified 57 sites in the region for the major preventive programme. State health secretary Hussan Lal said the vaccination is purely on the voluntary basis. “Vaccine jabs were dispatched to various districts and elaborate arrangements have been made for their safety,” he said. Bathinda civil surgeon Tejwant Singh Dhillon said vaccination would commence from Saturday at five places, including three private institutes where coronavirus patients were treated. “As per the protocol, only 100 persons will be administered injections per day at each identified site. We have sent a proposal for a sanction for another seven sites,” he said.

Multipurpose health staff says no to vaccine in protest

The Punjab Multipurpose Health Employees Union on Thursday announced not to get vaccinated until their demands are met. Union general secretary Gagandeep Singh said the state government should first regularise over 2,000 workers, reduce probation period from three to two years and grant financial incentive to those on Covid-19 duty.