12k health workers to get second dose today
Along with them, 9k personnel of social justice and empowerment and agriculture depts will be given the first dose of Covid vaccines
JAIPUR: More than 12,000 health workers will be administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Rajasthan on Monday, said a senior official of the health department.
According to the health department data, more than 6 lakh people have been vaccinated against the target of 900,694 in the state so far. Among them 390,969 are health care workers and 218,490 frontline workers. There have been 191 cases of adverse event following immunization (AEFI).
Project Director, Immunization, Dr Raghuraj Singh said the vaccination started in the state with health workers on January 16. On day 1, 12,258 health workers were vaccinated and they be administered the second dose on Monday.
“Along with them, around 9,000 personnel of social justice and empowerment and agriculture departments will be given the first dose,” he added.
Singh said that all those health and frontline workers who didn’t receive call for the vaccination or were left out for any reason will be vaccinated on February 16. “Around 8% of health and 20% of frontline workers are to be vaccinated with the first dose,” he said.
On February 17, all elementary school teachers under the Panchayati Raj Institutions will be vaccinated. “February 19 will be used as a day for mobilization for final round mop-up of health care and frontline workers,” he said.
Jaipur’s chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Narottam Sharma said, “We have developed five sites for the second dose of vaccination. Over 1,000 health workers are expected (for the vaccination) on Monday,” Sharma said.
A senior health officer, on the condition of anonymity, said that in comparison to health workers, frontline workers are more enthused with the vaccination.
“However, there is still apprehension among people to get vaccinated. Many say now that the pandemic is over, what is the need (for the vaccination) and a majority shies away saying let the results come of those vaccinated. The target set is getting difficult to achieve with people having misconceptions,” the officer said.
Another official said that the Union government plans to vaccinate around 3 million people to contain Covid-19 and vaccination of government employees will be a big help towards the goal.
Rajasthan is among the top three states in the country in Covid vaccination.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, 110 Covid-19 cases were found in the state with a maximum of 24 in Jaipur and 21 in Kota. The total number of active cases in Rajasthan is 1,409 and the cumulative deaths due to the pandemic are 2,781. Of 33 districts in the state, 14 did not report any case, and leaving Jaipur, Jodhpur and Kota, Covid-19 cases in the remaining districts did not cross single digit.