COVID vaccine drive gains momentum in Gujarat on day 3

The process of getting the COVID vaccine has finally gathered momentum among the healthcare workers (HCWs), after the lukewarm response on the first two days in Gujarat. On day 3, around 85% of registered healthcare workers in Ahmedabad city and 90% in Gujarat got the vaccination. 

According to the state health department, 12,487 persons got the vaccine on Thursday. To put the figure in perspective, 12,320 HCWs on January 16 and 11,045 on January 19 had got vaccinated. So far, 35,852 HCWs have got the shot, said, officials.

Among the cities, Ahmedabad city recorded 1,580, Surat 1,297, and Vadodara 611 vaccinations. In all, Ahmedabad city recorded 65% of vaccination against the registered beneficiaries in three days.

The number of people who have tested positive for the UK variant of Covid-19 in India has climbed to 150, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. All of them have been kept in single room isolation in designated health care facilities by the respective state governments, the ministry had said earlier. Their close contacts have also been put under quarantine.

On Thursday, top doctors from the city got vaccinated to create awareness about the process and also to dispel myths. Dr Tushar Patel, a city-based pulmonologist and member of the state Covid-19 task force, said that 100 doctors from various private hospitals participated in the initiative. “For the next two days, 200 more would be vaccinated. They will be ambassadors for vaccination as they can reach many patients,” he said.

At Civil hospital, SVP hospital, and other government hospitals, the turnout was good with nearly 100% participation of beneficiaries. Several heads of the departments and senior doctors were among those who got the vaccine.

Orthopedic surgeon Jyotindra Pandit, who got vaccinated on Thursday, said that factors like the impact of vaccination would be known after some months. “However, when we do not have any medicine against Covid-19, it’s the most effective way to get protection,” he said. Cardiologist Sanjay Shah, who got vaccinated, said that he did not report any adverse impact. “Sometimes it’s also about psychology and not just physiology. Awareness about possible effects can play an important role,” he said.