GUWAHATI: The
Assam health department has come up with a roadmap to start a massive
vaccination drive to inoculate adults aged 45 years and above from April 1, starting from the health sub-centres in villages to district and
private hospitals to resist the fresh threat of virus infection.
Senior health officials said the vaccine doses will be administered on a war footing, targeting specific groups like tea garden workers, who have been perceived to be vulnerable to infectious diseases. The cut-off date for the 45+ year category is those born before January 1, 1977.
“Vaccination will be conducted in around 2,000
Covid Vaccination Centres (CVC) across Assam. The CVCs in seven medical colleges, 27 district hospitals and 723 health facilities with cold chain points attached to health care facilities - BPHCs, CHCs, FRUs and MPHCs - will be providing the shots,” immunization spokesperson and director of health services (family welfare), Assam, Munindra Nath Ngatey, told TOI.
He said in addition to the 757 CVCs, an additional 1,800+ health and wellness centres, sub centres will also function as CVCs in a planned manner to facilitate the vaccination in rural areas. “To cater to the tea garden population, around 500 tea garden hospitals and dispensaries will also be utilized as CVCs in the coming days,” Ngatey added.
The government has rolled out vaccination for everyone in the age group of 45 plus, irrespective of co-morbidities, in order to intensify the drive. Health officials said the removal of the co-morbidities clause has made the vaccination system simpler. “The CoWIN app will be open for registration and for booking of appointments. Onsite registration of such persons will also be permissible from April 1,” said Pomi Baruah, officer on special duty at NHM, Assam.
The interval between two doses of Covishield vaccine has been extended from the present four to six weeks to four to eight weeks. “Protection would be greater if the second dose of the vaccine is taken between six to eight weeks. It is advisable not to delay beyond the eighth week, as it may leave the beneficiary vulnerable,” she added.
The CoWIN platform has also been amended to do away with the feature of the auto scheduling of the second dose on the 29th day. “The beneficiaries will now have complete freedom to decide or choose the date of the second dose within the extended interval of four to eight weeks as per their convenience,” said Baruah.