A health worker being given a Covid-19 vaccine shot at the Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital in South 24 Parganas district on Monday. (Express photo) On Day 2 of the Covid-19 vaccination drive Monday, the state again fell short of its target to immunise all frontline workers registered in the second list.
As many as 14,110 people were inoculated against a total of 20,700 at 207 centres due to, in what officials said, glitches in the Central government’s CoWIN application. Total 15,707 people were administered the vaccine on Saturday.
“The number is less due to some communication issue. The (CoWIN) portal was not working smoothly, and many of the selected recipients did not get the SMS. We have tried to call them over the phone,” said a health official.
According to sources in the state Health Department, at least 14 vaccinated people reported AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunisation) cases in the state. Two of them were admitted to hospitals. A 34-year-old man, who was shivering and vomitting after vaccination, was taken to Diamond Harbour Medical College and Hospital in South 24 Parganas district. A 46-year-old woman with respiratory symptoms and nausea was admitted to Falakata Multi Speciality Hospital in Alipurduar district. Both patients are under treatment.
“Today also, the AEFI rate is just around 1/1000, which is expected for any vaccination. The patient (nurse) admitted to NRS Medical College and Hospital is better today and is responding to treatment well. However, she requires to stay at the hospital for some other investigation,” said another official who was referring to a nurse who was admitted to NRS Hospital in Kolkata after she fainted post vaccination on Saturday.
AMRI Hospital in Kolkata, which vaccinated 110 priority group workers on Monday, said only a few recipients had complained to arm aches or mild fever.
“In the last two days of vaccination, only a handful of beneficiaries complained of mild fever and ache in the arm where the vaccine was administered. These healthcare workers were kept under a brief observation and were later allowed to go home,” read a statement by AMRI.