Set up special booths for jabs to parents of kids below 12 yrs: Yogi
LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asked officials to set up special booths in the state for the Covid-19 vaccination of parents of children below the age of 12 years, according to a state government statement. He issued the instruction during a Covid-19 review meeting. The chief minister also said it was necessary to tell villagers that the vaccines were safe as there were reports from some rural areas that people were hesitant about getting jabs.
: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday asked officials to set up special booths in the state for the Covid-19 vaccination of parents of children below the age of 12 years, according to a state government statement.
He issued the instruction during a Covid-19 review meeting.
The chief minister also said it was necessary to tell villagers that the vaccines were safe as there were reports from some rural areas that people were hesitant about getting jabs. UP was the first state to have crossed the 10 lakh (one million) mark in giving the first dose of the vaccine to the 18+ category, he stated.
Besides, the union government had sanctioned a total of 286 oxygen plants for UP, he added.
He had earlier said in Saifai on Saturday that preparations were underway to vaccinate parents of children below 10 years of age. On Sunday, he expanded the category to include parents of children below 12 years of age.
“It is necessary to do Covid vaccination of parents of children below the age of 12 on priority. For this, make a proper work plan. Each district of the state must have a “parents’ special” vaccination booth. Contact parents in the category and invite them for the vaccination. This will not only help in the safety of the parents from Covid, but also safeguard the children. Run it as a campaign,” he said to the officials.
The chief minister said the vaccine supply to the state was improving. Currently, 10.67 lakh people in the 18+ age group in 23 districts had been given the first dose of the vaccine.
“While the 45+ vaccination is sponsored by the central government, the vaccination for 18+ is being done entirely by state government’s resources,” he said.
“While several other states are halting the vaccination drive, UP is expanding its scope. From June 1, all districts will start vaccinating 18+ category persons. So far, a total of 1.62 crore doses have been administered in UP in all categories,” he said.
About reports from some rural areas that people were hesitant about getting a jab, he said, “They have doubts over it and think that it has ill-effects. Such doubts are totally baseless. Make more and more people aware about the vaccine and also invite the public representatives to the village vaccination drives. This will encourage people. Various scientific tests have proven that Covid vaccines--both Covishield and Covaxin--are the best options against Covid.”