COVID vaccination drive will not be halted during complete lockdown in Bengal: Chief Secretary

KOLKATA: The ongoing vaccination process in West Bengal will not be stalled during the complete lockdown period starting Sunday morning till May 30, chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Saturday.

He said that inoculation of the people would remain the priority of the state government though closure of certain activities would equally be given importance given the sudden surge in the COVID cases.

"Vaccination is our priority. Closure of certain activities is also a priority, we have to marry the two priorities, that is what we are all trying to do.

"Vaccination centres will be kept open and we have to manage our own transport," he added.

Meanwhile, despite the meagre supply of vaccines, the state government has decided to continue with its inoculation process dividing the population in the state into two halves, a senior official at the state government said.

While the first lot would the common people, the second one would be the super spreaders, he said, "Now, we want to give priority to vaccinating the superspreaders who are responsible for spreading the virus.

The hospitals and the CMOHs will decide on the inoculation of the common people, we are chalking out the plans to vaccinate these superspreaders by talking to the district magistrates," he told PTI.

Till Thursday, 1,25,60,168 people have been vaccinated in Bengal, an official of the state health department said.