Noida: Anup Kumar (36), an audiologist at the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital, who had contracted
Covid in July, was the first to take the
vaccine at the hospital on Friday. Flashing a victory sign after taking the shot, Kumar said he had been waiting for his turn.
“After a first-hand experience, I was very eager to get the shot,” said the Bodh Gaya resident who started working at ESIC Hospital, Sector 24, in April 2018.
Kumar tested positive for Covid on July 25 and had to be hospitalised for about 12 days. After he recovered, he donated plasma at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, on September 12.
“I joined duty on August 12 after I recovered. But for about 10 days, I felt very weak. I donated plasma in Delhi and wanted to volunteer again so I could help more people. But I was asked to wait,” said the audiologist, who attends to speech and hearing impaired at ESIC.
Dr Brahmnish Sitara, nodal officer, ESIC Hospital, said Kumar’s antibody levels were more than 13. “It is very high for a person who has recovered from Covid. But we asked him to wait before donating plasma for the second time as there is a minimum three month waiting period for that,” Sitara said.
Staff nurse Abrar Ahmad Bagban, who also took the shot on Friday, was on night duty the previous day. Instead of going home after work, he waited to get the vaccine at the centre.