Ensure vax availablity, dispel myths to amplify coverage

What should be done to vaccinate each and every eligible individual?

The only way to get maximum people jabbed is to make it mandatory. Every institution must ask for vaccination certificate of at least the first dose from their respective employees and students. However, people themselves need to understand the importance of getting jabbed.

Amarpreet Kaur

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Well-planned strategy needed to cover all

No doubt, Punjab is leading other states as far as the administration of vaccine is concerned but still there is a long way to go. For this, the access of vaccination should be easier. These days when people are much aware about the importance of vaccination, even elderly have to run from pillar to post to get themselves vaccinated. People have to stand in long queues in this scorching heat. Vaccination camps should be arranged area-wise so that there should not be unnecessary chaos. A well-planned strategy with more facilities should be executed so that we can achieve the expected target.

Sangeeta Jain

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Ensure availability of vaccine

To vaccinate each and every eligible individual, we need to focus on two things: building trust of people in vaccine and to ensure adequate availability of vaccine doses. To build trust of people of middle-age group, the government needs to take help of religious institutions as people of these age group follows what their religious gurus say. To encourage and inspire youth to get vaccinated, need is to take help of celebrities of Punjabi film industry. Another important issue to address is to ensure adequate availability of vaccine doses. The government authorities should correctly estimate requirements and accordingly make arrangements.

Poonam Batra

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Dispel vaccine-related myths

Although the district has successfully administered Covid vaccines to over one million residents so far, we’re still far away from achieving the milestone of vaccinating the entire population. The awareness campaigns by the district administration should be based on the idea of collective responsibility — that it benefits all of us to get the jab. There is a need to dispel the myths and unfounded beliefs about the side-effects of Covid-19 vaccination in order to motivate people in far-flung areas to get the jab and protect themselves from the infection. The mantra of “Educate, encourage and incentivise” can be followed to ensure that nobody becomes a victim of panic and misinformation.

Akash Kumar

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Leaders, officials should set an example

To save the population from catching Covid infection, all attempts must be made to vaccinate as many people as possible. Covid-related myths should be busted. The local administrators and leaders must get themselves vaccinated in presence of the villagers so that they feel encouraged and get the vaccination. Another way that can be adopted is that the group photo of all those villagers who got vaccinated must be shown to others and these photos be repeatedly published in the local newspapers instead of the photos of some individuals getting vaccinated. Some element of punishment or incentive should be announced to encourage people to get vaccinated. All district people must be repeatedly reminded that at present, vaccination is the only remedy available to save individuals from Covid.

Gautam Dev

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Increase inoculation centres

The third Covid wave is knocking at the door and with the kind of present vaccination speed, it will be inevitable. The goal of vaccination fixed by the government looks a bit stretched given the current rate of vaccination. To achieve the goal, all government departments should be involved in the drive. A special campaign be launched to inoculate all students above 18 years of age and the staffers, both administrative and academic, at the colleges in the region. Inoculation centres should be increased to boost the daily vaccination capacity. Campaign be also launched against vaccine hesitancy as the vaccines have been introduced after obtaining clearance from regulatory bodies based on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. Greater effort is required in pandemic areas where acceptance will be higher. Allow companies/big industrial units to organise vaccinations for the workers for faster return to work. Also, vaccine camps need to be advertised vigorously through sign boards at important locations, through television, radio etc.

RS SEMBHI

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Awareness, mass-scale vaccination needed

In spite of the best efforts of the government, the alluring target has not been achieved. While fixing the target for vaccination, complete assessment of our sources ought to be reviewed. The government must create awareness in the public. People should come ahead themselves considering it their duty. To create the right atmosphere, the government should hold seminars and lectures on vaccination. At this hour of crisis, comparison with countries such as the US should be avoided. The US is equal to our one state just like Bihar or UP. We must observe guidelines of the government.

JBS Nanda

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Raise awareness through webinar, newspaper, TV

Vaccination is necessary for all people at the time of pandemic. Door-to-door vaccination drive should be started so that every eligible person should be vaccinated. There should be vaccination awareness among citizens through webinar, radio, newspaper, television, etc. The administration should provide some treat or facilities for vaccinated people so that non-vaccinated people would come forward for vaccination. Such steps will help in increasing vaccination cover.

Adish Sood

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Tackle vaccine hesitancy

Hesitancy in taking jab is the main hurdle. To address the issue, the government should take into confidence all stakeholders such as religious leaders NGOs, political leaders of all parties, panch sarpanch, councillors. Along with this, print and electronic media be taken into confidence. They have general mass appeal and these methods can reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Dr Sukhdev Sharma

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Getting vaccinated need of the hour

Each one of us, as responsible citizens of our country, have to first and foremost take care of our health. Sarpanch, elders, councillors, youth leaders, and religious leaders should organise and motivate people to get themselves vaccinated. They can be given incentives in form of cash and kind. Broadcast and print media can play a greater role by spreading the information and motivating the public. Here, the educated too have a role to play. They have to set examples by motivating people right from their homes to outside by following the norms and getting vaccinated. If during elections the people can be motivated to vote, why not now, nothing is impossible.

Dr Navdeep Kaur

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Set up more camps, advertise them

It has been established now that only herd immunity developed through vaccination can save us from the havoc being wreaked by Covid-19.To vaccinate one and all in our district, more camps should be organised throughout the city. The vaccination schedule and sites of camps should be profusely advertised beforehand. If possible, door-to-door vaccination should be undertaken with the help of mobile vans too. Those who are still not interested in getting inoculated should be punished.

Dr Sunil Chopra

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Target youth in colleges, varsities

To cover every eligible candidate, the civil hospital, under the supervision of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), must form teams at micro level. Officials from the Municipal Corporation must be pressed into service to get a ward-wise list prepared so that it becomes easy for doctors and other medical staff to vaccinate eligible candidates. The government must provide the vaccination to each and every student above the age of 18 in colleges and universities under the care of their parents. Lists must be prepared at each college and university and students and other eligible people must be informed well in time to take the vaccination.

Farzana Khan

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Make jab must for travel

There are many steps that need to be taken to inoculate each and every eligible person. People, especially in socially neglected and backward areas, should be made well aware of the benefits of getting vaccinated. Freebies can be given to those who get vaccinated in rural areas. Children should encourage their parents to get jabbed. Restaurants should provide meals only after checking the vaccination certificate of their customers. Teachers should tell their students about its benefits. Vaccination can also be provided at doorsteps. Drive-through inoculation sites should be opened. Schools and colleges can also make arrangements to provide the shots to their staff and students. Travel by public transport should be allowed only if the passenger is vaccinated. More social media campaigns should be started to spread awareness about the vaccine.

Ekamjot Singh

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Take help of ASHA workers

Ludhiana is ahead of other cities in Punjab in regard to vaccination. But still, each citizen has not been covered, irrespective of various camps organised for the purpose. The government should appoint some ASHA workers, along with medical officers, for door-to-door vaccination campaign, such as the campaign of pulse polio and voter’s card. With the help of the Municipal Corporation, the CMO must form teams to give vaccination to each eligible person at their doorsteps. In each street, list of eligible people must be prepared. People must come forward to cooperate with doctors and other paramedical staff in this drive so that no eligible candidate is left without vaccination.

Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui

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Doctors should come forward to remove doubts

Although many residents of the city have already got jabbed, many are still remaining. Being responsible residents, it is our prime duty to come forward and help the government in this process. Some people are questioning the vaccination’s safety. Doctors should come forward to dispel myths and remove doubts. Also, government authorities should organise more camps so that more people can be covered under the campaign. Even people of slum areas should be made aware about the drive. The time is tough, but we all have to take steps to ensure each other’s safety. It is not only the duty of the government but that of every individual to control the spread of the virus.

Shilpa Sharma

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Start door-to-door campaign in city

The government must make arrangements for door-to-door vaccination service, like in the case of polio drops for children, so that every eligible individual must be covered. Some people are not taking the shot because of the prevailing myths and misconceptions and these should be dispelled by authorities. Senior and super senior citizens must be on priority list. Employers of various organisations and institutions must ensure that their employees are vaccinated. Proper records must be maintained by them. These are the ways through which 100% vaccination can be achieved.

Ritu Priya

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Hold vax camps at bus stands, rly stations

Public places like the bus stands and railway stations can be used to vaccinate a good number of people daily. The main problem of the vaccination drive is to inoculate the poor. The poor people cannot leave their petty businesses/jobs to get vaccinated. So, a special drive to vaccinate at or near their workplace is the need of the hour. If possible door-to-door vaccination must be carried out for such people. In addition to it, more vaccination camps should be organised in slum areas. A small number of people are still hesitant for the jabs. Such people should be counselled and convinced to take the vaccination.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi

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OPEN HOUSE QUESTION

The delayed monsoon has led to power and water crisis. With the demand of both essential commodities touching their peak, the supply has dwindled considerably in the recent past. To cope up with the widening gap between demand and supply, all industries have been forced to shut their operations for the past few days. Already reeling under heavy losses due to the Covid pandemic for the past over a year, the industry has been further pushed to the brink due to forced shutdown. How can the industry survive in such conditions? Suggestions in not over 70 words can be sent to [email protected]