PATNA: Altogether 12,101 healthcare workers took the second dose of
Covid-19 vaccine across the state on Monday. These healthcare workers had taken their first shot on January 16, the day vaccination was launched across the country.
Of them, 11,822 got Covishield and 279 Covaxin. But the number of beneficiaries were less compared to the first day of the drive when 18,122 healthcare workers were vaccinated across the state. An official with the health department said a gap of 28 days is a must after the first shot and the second dose can be taken anytime between 28 and 45 days from the first one.
However, when compared to the first day of the first shot, things were smooth and more systematic on Monday. Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) director Dr N R Biswas, who made a surprise visit, said, “Immunization process is going on smoothly and beneficiaries are being reminded through phone calls.”
Dr Anshu Rani, who was on duty in the observation room, said the kind of fear which was there initially was no more in the beneficiaries. By 11am, 30 beneficiaries at IGIMS had taken their second shot.
One of the healthcare workers, Afzal Imam, who works as a hospital attendant, said, “Today, there was no fear at all. There was some nervousness on the first day.”
Same was the reply of almost all the beneficiaries who had come to the same place to take the second shot.
Kuber Ravi, who works in the community medicine department, said he was completely fit even after taking the second shot.
AIIMS-P nodal incharge for Covid-19, Dr Sanjeev Kumar said the kind of apprehension on the launch day was no more there and beneficiaries were more confident while receiving the second shot.
So far, total 4,95,792 beneficiaries have got the first shot in Bihar, including 3,97,311 healthcare workers and 98,481 frontline workers.
Meanwhile, only 44 new Covid-19 cases were registered in the state on Monday, taking the tally to 2,61,785. In the same time period, 79 people recovered. The state’s recovery rate reached 99.19%.
Officially, two deaths were reported and both were from Patna. At AIIMS-Patna, no death was reported.
Cases today: 44
Total cases: 2,61,785
Recoveries: 2,59,670
Deaths: 1,527
Suicide: 2
Active cases: 586