Vaccination camp timings tweaked in Gurugram to beat the heat

GURUGRAM: Amid the soaring temperatures, the health department Tuesday decided to revise the timings of Covid-19 vaccination camps to circumvent the hottest hours of the day.
The government centres will now operate from 9am to 1pm, private centres from 8am to 1pm, and vaccination camps at schools from 7am to 12pm. Earlier, the sites stayed open from 9am to 4pm.
“It has been observed that due to the extreme heat, people are not coming to the vaccination camps, which has slowed down the pace of vaccination. Now that examinations are over in schools, it feels right to try to increase the pace of vaccination by making these timing changes, keeping in mind the weather conditions,” said Dr Virender Yadav, the chief medical officer of Gurugram.
Since March-end, Gurugram has witnessed five spells of heatwaves. On Sunday, it recorded the highest maximum temperature in the district, 48.1 degrees Celsius, with residents experiencing the hottest May day in 56 years.
The administration has updated all schools and the education department about the development. “We have already written to the education department about the change in timings of vaccination camps. We decided because children should not venture out between 12 pm to 3 pm,” Yadav said.
Extreme temperature conditions have triggered several concerns about illnesses, including heatstroke, summer depression and dehydration, particularly among vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, office goers, and construction and industrial workers.
According to doctors, exposure to excessive heat impacts the human body in a number of ways. “Extreme heat impairs the functioning of internal organs over several days, putting an extra burden on the cardiovascular system in particular. Extreme heat also damages the kidneys, liver, heart, brain, and lungs, resulting in renal failure, heart attack and stroke, among other potential causes of death. Heat and pollution can even aggravate asthma, emphysema, and other lung disorders, potentially leading to mortality. Nausea, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, fatigue and other symptoms of dehydration can also occur,” said Dr Shuchin Bajaj, the director of Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.