Slow vax drive: Chandigarh Health Department seeks details of govt staff yet to take jab

Dushyant Singh Pundir

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 11

In the wake of slow vaccination, the UT Health Department has sought details of all government employees who have not been vaccinated.

In a letter to the administrative secretaries and heads of departments, boards, corporation and institutions of the UT, Health Secretary Yashpal Garg stated that many employees (regular, deputation, contractual or outsource basis) had not yet taken both the doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. “As per the orders of the UT Administration, entry in the offices is allowed either to persons who have got a Covid jab or carrying negative RTPCR report of the last 72 hours,” he stated.

Garg asked all secretaries and heads of departments to review the status of vaccination of their employees. “A list of such employees who are yet to be vaccinated (either first dose or second dose) need to be provided to the Director, Health Services, within three days, so that vaccination camps can be organised in their respective office complexes,” he stated.

He said employees would be allowed to bring their family members also during the camp for vaccination. “The lists will also facilitate for implementation of the directions of the UT Administration about regulation of entries in the offices for un-vaccinated officers/officials in view of a threat of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.

The vaccination in the city in the previous week had been the lowest since March as only 14,105 doses were administered from October 30 to November 5.

Around 23,946 doses were administered between October 23 and October 29. There has been a decline by 69.7 per cent from the previous week.

From March 27 and April 2, the Covid vaccination rate was lowest at 12,911 doses. The rate increased since then and had peaked at 72,741 doses from August 14 to August 20.

The pace of second vaccination has been slow in the UT as only 66 percent of the target population has got the second dose.

During the recent review of Covid vaccination, it was observed that the second dose was overdue in 75,526 cases in the city.