With majority of adults vaccinated, focus on teen vaccination now

Aparna Banerji

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Jalandhar, February 25

With 94 per cent of the district’s population already vaccinated for the first dose and 78 per cent of the second dose targets met in the district, the district administration is now laying thrust on achieving vaccine targets for adolescents – children falling in the age group of 15 to 17. However, facing hostility from the populace in the continued push for vaccines, health department employees say the continued thrust to meet more targets after the impressive performance in the district, is perplexing.

As many as 33,73,462 vaccine doses have been administered in the district. Of these, 17,84,164 are of people who have received the first dose of Covid vaccine and 15,21,519 people have received the second dose in the district. Those getting the booster dose lag way behind as only 67,779 have received the precautionary dose. Notably, among various groups vaccinated in Jalandhar, among the 15 to 17 age group, merely 79,302 have been vaccinated. The district administration is now laying stress on vaccinating those in this age group.

Officialspeak

The vaccination process is progressing very smoothly. During elections, camps were held for police personnel at Police Lines and PAP to ensure no one misses out on the jab. Jalandhar has achieved impressive targets with the vaccination drive and the further targets will also be diligently met by the staff. —Dr Rakesh Chopra, District Immunisation Officer

Overworked staff

When a barrage of patients came in during the drive to vaccinate those over 18 years of age for the Covid vaccination, the Health Department saw one of their most hectic times. With the elections, another extremely busy period started with the health department tasked to ensure none of the on-duty staff is left out of getting the first, second or the booster doses of Covid-19. With the elections over, now the staff has been tasked to ensure the smooth completion of the upcoming pulse polio drive which begins on February 27.

A health worker says, “For the past two years, it has been like this. We are caught in a loop of Covid and there is no respite. We are getting repeated complaints from people whom we call to get vaccinated. People call 104, they ask us not to call them, some say their patient had already died. We can’t force people to get vaccinated.”

Another health worker shares, “After the second wave, there was panic and people wanted to get vaccinated. But after this wave, the voluntary vaccination has seen a downswing. On top of it, the field worker is burdened. For the past two years, we have worked hard. We have to prepare surveys, do vaccination follow ups, check isolation status along with pre-existing pregnancy and nutrition checks. Then there’’s pulse polio. Even on Sundays and off days, health workers are on data calls. Some of us have little kids and families to tend to. How much can we work?”

On toes for over two years

Health workers have been on duty for over two years. Thousands of health workers have carried out drives to vaccinate disabled and immobile beneficiaries at home. They have run Hur Ghar Dastak campaigns with vaccination at the doorstep and have also been on call during the elections vaccinating the over 20,000 on-duty personnel with second jabs and boosters. The same staff now readies for the upcoming pulse polio mission – amidst a push for adolescent jabs.

79k jabbed in 15-18 age group

Notably, among various groups vaccinated in Jalandhar, people in the 18 to 44 age group lead with 16,86,973 vaccinations. As many as 7,88,524 have been vaccinated in the 45 to 60 age group, 5,43,701 have been vaccinated in 60 plus age group, 2,10,465 among frontline workers. Among 15-18 age group, 79,302 have been vaccinated. Meanwhile, only 46,751 health workers are vaccinated in the district. Post elections, about 8,000 to 10,000 persons are getting vaccinated on a daily basis. While 8,064 persons got their dose on Thursday, as many as 13,823 persons got vaccinated in the district on Friday.

Focus on adolescents

On Wednesday, the DC had asked educational institutions of Jalandhar to ensure the vaccination of eligible students of the 15 to 18 age group by Sunday at the nearest healthcare centers. He further directed all the nursing/ degree colleges, government & private schools, IELTS institutions to assist their eligible students in vaccination as the district administration has already planned as many as 256 session sites across Jalandhar including 98 sites in Jalandhar-I sub division, 34 sites in Jalandhar-II, 59 in Phillaur, 38 in Nakodar, and 27 in Shahkot sub divisions. The DC also interacted with all principals over video conference and urged them to complete adolescent vaccination by Sunday i.e. Feb 27, 2022.