LUCKNOW: Improving on its Thursday’s performance, a record over 14,200 people took
vaccine shots during the mass vaccination drive against Covid-19 on Friday.
Prominent among those who took jabs included UP’s former chief minister and BJP veteran Kalyan Singh and his family members (SGPGIMS), health minister Jai Pratap Singh (SPM Civil Hospital) and founders of City Montessori School, Jagdish Gandhi and Bharti Gandhi, at RMLIMS. However, many beneficiaries had a tough time due to mismanagement at several centres.
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The grit and determination shown by the elderly for Covid vaccination has been exemplary so far. Now, when authorities have decided to have vaccination drives on all week days in a bid to cover a large section of population as early as possible, apart from achieving targets, they also need to focus on providing smooth and risk-free arrangements at centres for beneficiaries who have to wait for hours for the jabs. Many of these elderlies have not stepped out of their houses since the pandemic began to protect themselves, but run a risk of catching infection at overcrowded centres.
People had to wait for hours for on-site registration due to glitches in Co-WIN app and slow data upload on the portal at almost all the centres. Registration forms meant for those with co-morbidities were given to elderly people which resulted in undue delay.
At some places, pre-registered beneficiaries were told that they were supposed to bring the print out of the receipt, though they were not informed about it earlier. Singanges were also missing at a few centres which resulted in overcrowding in violation of social distancing norms.
At least 14,238 people, highest in a single day so far, got themselves vaccinated in the drive at 66 centres (52 government and 14 private). Of these, 5,563 beneficiaries were of 60 years and above and 1,071 were with comorbidities in the age group of 45-59 years. Total 4,558 healthcare workers were also given shots – 1,092 got first dose while 3,466 took the second. Similarly, 3,046 frontline workers got the jabs (921 first dose and 2,125 second).
At a private centre in Indiranagar, vaccination started two hours late. “I had to wait for a torturous four hours,” said BR Sarup (83), a patient of sciatica. At the same centre, Kalpana Mishra had brought her father OP Bajpai (85) and aunt Sushila Shukla (75). “We waited for three hours. First the staff asked us to fill a form meant for comorbid and then said it is not required. Later, they asked for print out of the online registration,” she said.
At KGMU, many left the centre without taking vaccine when they saw overcrowded booths. At SGPGIMS, officials switched to manual registration to avoid overcrowding. “In the absence of signages, I lined up with second dose beneficiaries but as soon as I reached the vaccinator, she asked me to go to another counter,” Raja Ram (75), a beneficiary, said. Spokesman at CMO office Yogesh Raghuvanshi said, “We have taken note of the problems and will ensure smooth process in coming rounds..”
(With inputs from Pragati Shukla)