State well prepared for second phase of COVID-19 vaccination: Andhra Pradesh Dy CM

VIJAYAWADA: Deputy Chief Minister (Health) Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas said the State is all set for the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination from February 3. Municipal, panchayat raj, revenue, and sanitation workers will be vaccinated in the second phase. He said 5.9 lakh people have registered for vaccination through the Cowin App till date. 

Addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, the Deputy CM said the spread of Covid-19 has been controlled successfully and positive cases, which were at one point of time in excess of 10,000, have been brought to less than 100, with only 69 cases reported on Monday.  

He explained that a total of 3,181 session sites are ready to administer the vaccine in the second phase. “In the first phase, as many as 1,89,890 frontline workers were vaccinated as against the target of 3,88,307, that is 48.90 per cent,” he said and added that apprehensions about the vaccine among health workers, including doctors, was the reason for the low turn out in the first phase. 

The minister said they have taken stock of apprehensions and complications and appropriate measures have been taken to address them. He said there are 74 incidents of adverse impact after vaccination and one reported death. “An Asha worker died of complications after she was vaccinated. Though the postmortem reports have come out, investigations are on to find out the exact reason for her death. Meanwhile, on the directions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia is being given to her family,” he said. 

Explaining about the health if dental surgeon, Dr Dhanalakshmi, of Ongole, who fell critically ill after she was administered the Covid vaccine, the health minister said she was shifted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai on the request of her family and her condition is being closely monitored. “We have deployed a medical officer to monitor her situation, in consultation with doctors there. Her entire medical expenditure will be borne by the government,” he said. 

Her condition, though serious is reported to be stable, he added. Principal secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal said 89,100 police personnel, 55,000 municipal, 3.32 lakh revenue staff have registered for the vaccination in the second phase.