Covid vaccination drive picks up pace in Amritsar district

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 28

After initial hiccups, the Covid-19 vaccination drive in the district has picked up pace and a total of 5,183 health workers have been given injections so far. The district health officials said the number of volunteers from among the health workers has grown exponentially in the last one week.

A total of 4,281 volunteers have come forward to get injections in the last seven days. District Immunisation Officer Dr Sukhpal Singh said, “The vaccination drive has been going on smoothly.” He said at present, 800 to 900 health workers are being given injections every day.

In the first phase of the vaccination, the health workers at government and private hospitals are being given injections on a priority basis. He said in the next phase, the injections would be available for other frontline workers.

Civil Surgeon Dr Charanjit Singh said the vaccination was going on at 29 centres in the district. He added that special arrangements were being made to immunise the health workers at private hospitals.

The district had received over 20,000 vaccine doses after which the drive had begun on January 16. During the first few days, the response towards the injections was slow and only 78 volunteers had opted to get vaccinated on the first day.

Dr Charanjit Singh said the initial hesitation was over and health workers were encouraged. He added that no adverse affects of the injections had been reported by any of the health workers who have received the first dose. The vaccine, which is given in two doses, requires administration of the second dose 28 days after the first one, he said.