Coimbatore: With the Union government yet to give nod for the vaccination of state government staff, who are frontline workers, confusion reigned on the first day of drive in the district. While frontline workers were turned away in some locations, they were vaccinated without entering their details on to the CoWIN app in other locations. Officials also refused to give numbers of frontline workers vaccinated on Monday.
In all, 374 people were vaccinated at five sites on the day. While 110 of them took the shot at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), 100 took the vaccine at Arisipalayam primary health centre (PHC), 16 at Pollachi government hospital, 30 at Mettupalayam government hospital and 118 at SLM Home. The break-up of frontline workers and health workers was not disclosed.
“We also had sessions at the ESI Hospital, all block PHCs and in eight corporation PHCs,” said Dr G Ramesh Kumar, deputy director of public health.
Private hospitals were handed over the vaccines only on Monday morning. Hence, they could start the vaccination only around 3pm or 4pm. “We distributed around 3,000 doses (300 vials) to 11 hospitals on Monday. We expect them to finish vaccinations by Thursday,” the officer said.
The hospitals, meanwhile, managed to vaccinate 463 staff on the day. While six hospitals could administer only a single dose, 22 staff got the jab at the PSG Hospitals and Royal Care. “We will administer the vaccine on our registered workers from 9am to 4pm from Tuesday,” said the medical officer (incharge) at the PSG Hospitals.
Gem Hospital vaccinated the most number of people at 279, followed by KG Hospital (100) and KMCH (40).