1,360 teens vaxed on day 1 in Prayagraj
PRAYAGRAJ: The wait for teenagers to get the anti-Coronavirus vaccine ended with the district launching the vaccination drive for teenagers between 15 and 18 years on Monday. District magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri inspected the vaccination centre at MLN Medical College and inaugurated the drive marking its start for eligible teens in the Prayagraj district.
District immunisation officer, Prayagraj, Dr Tirath Lal, said that over 1,360 eligible teens were vaccinated in the district during the day. The district medical and health department had made special arrangements for their vaccination.
“For the vaccination, 30 vaccination centres including 20 primary and community health centres in rural areas and 10 in the city have been set up. These include MLN Medical College, SRN Hospital, TB Hospital, Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital, Daraganj PHC, MD Eye Hospital, Moti Lal Nehru (Colvin) Divisional Hospital, Dufferin Hospital, Railway Hospital, Homoeopathic Medical College, Naini and near Allahabad High Court. Separate booths have also been made for eligible teenagers at all these vaccination centres, Dr Lal said. A target to vaccinate 6,000 individuals falling in the 15 to 18 years age bracket daily has been set for the district. “Each of the 30 centres has been instructed to target vaccinating a minimum of 200 individuals per day. After 10 days, the count of vaccination centres for 15 to 18-year-olds will be hiked. The target is to vaccinate all the targeted 4.17 lakh eligible 15 to 18-year-olds of the district in the next two months,” he added.
On the first day, many teenagers turned up at the centres of their choice to get the jabs.
Anushka Singh, a student of Class 9, was one among them and got her dose at the MLN Medical College. “There was no problem in getting the vaccine. I feel fine after getting the jab. Now I will motivate my friends also to take the shot and protect themselves against the disease, especially in the light of exams set to be held offline,” she said.
Likewise, Om Tiwari of Rajapur locality got the vaccine at the MLN Medical College vaccination centre. “I arrived early and got the shot on time. I feel confident that now that the Omicron variant is spreading fast that I will be safe and will also help keep my parents and siblings safe too,” he added.