Ludhiana: After more than 18,000 healthcare workers received the first jab against Covid-19 since January 16, the process to administer the second shot of vaccine to them started here on Monday. Meanwhile, about 25% of the frontline workers registered for the vaccination drive in the district have got the first shot in over 10 days since its start.
The health department officials said, “Of about 33,000 healthcare workers registered for vaccination, around 18,200 have received the first shot till Saturday evening. More healthcare workers are expected to get the first shot by February 19, when the process is expected to end.”
“Of about 20,000 frontline workers—including police, security forces personnel and revenue department employees, among others —about 4,700 had received the first dose of vaccine till Saturday evening. They will be covered for about next two weeks,” they added.
On the first day of the administration of the second dose of vaccine to healthcare workers, 238 of the total 547 received it. The day also saw 27 healthcare and 348 frontline workers receiving the first jab against Covid-19, the officials said.
District immunisation officer Dr Kiran said, “The second dose of vaccine was given to healthcare workers at five centres on Monday. Healthcare workers who had received the first dose on January 16 and 18 got the second after 20 days.”
Dr Pardeep Mohindra, senior medical officer at sub-divisional hospital in Jagraon, who got the second shot, said, “I didn’t suffer any side-effects. Eighteen healthcare workers got the second dose of vaccine at the hospital on Day One.”
Director of Christian Medical College and Hospital Dr William Bhatti said, “All healthcare and frontline workers should come forward and get inoculated as vaccination is the only and effective tool to counter this pandemic.”
Dr Jayraj D Pandian, CMC principal who was inoculated as part of the statewide vaccination process, urged people not to pay heed to the rumours, as the vaccine was safe.