LUCKNOW: Frontline workers, including police, municipal, civil defence, armed forces, revenue and panchayati raj department personnel will receive Covid vaccine shots from February 5 and all beneficiaries would be covered by end of sessions on February 18. An estimated eight lakh frontline workers have been listed by state health department.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday set a February 5 deadline for completion of inoculation of all listed health workers and launch of the drive for frontline workers on the same day.
Additional chief secretary health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad, claimed more than 50% listed health workers have been vaccinated so far. “Of the 9.06 lakh target, 4.64 lakh health workers have been given the vaccine. On Friday, more than 74% target beneficiaries took the shot. Others will be covered in sessions on February 4 and 5,” he said.
Missed shot? Feb 15 last chance to get jab
He also claimed maximum health workers were vaccinated in UP. Experts, however, attributed this to the state’s population. “Being the most populous state, UP is bound to have more health workers than other Indian states. But this doesn’t undermine our achievement,” said a senior officer in Union heath ministry.
General manager (immunization), National Health Mission, UP, Dr Manoj Shukla, said, “To achieve higher coverage, changes have been made in CoWIN app. This will facilitate vaccination of willing beneficiaries in place of absentee counterparts,” he said.
Dr Shukla also said, health workers who missed their shots will get the last chance in the mop-up round on February 15.
Additional chief secretary Prasad also informed all the listed health and front line workers must get the complete dose (first and second) latest by March 25.