Ludhiana district to get priority in vaccination for 18-45 age group in upcoming drive

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 26

Ludhiana, which was among the five high caseload districts driving the Covid second wave rapidly sliding into a devastating crisis in the state, will get priority in the upcoming vaccination drive for the 18-45 age group scheduled to take off from May 1.

This was recommended by the expert group in the preliminary strategy for vaccination of all above 18 years of age beginning Saturday onwards.

The expert group, led by Dr Gagandeep Kang and comprising Dr Jacob John and Dr Rajesh Kumar, has put Ludhiana on the top of all 22 districts in the state where the risk of disease and transmission rate are considered the highest. Ludhiana is also listed on the top under the population density category in the state.

In a brief presentation made before the Chief Secretary, Vini Mahajan, on the strategy that can be adopted for inoculation of the people aged between 18 and 45 years in the state, the expert group said the disease distribution and risk by district variable will be the major considerations for deciding the priority areas under the mega vaccination drive.

Noting that disease is highest in the areas with high population density, the experts presented that for 1.3 crore eligible population under 18-45 vaccination programme, 2.7 crore doses will be required and as many sessions will also be required for the purpose.

Taking into consideration the total number of positive cases and the average daily infections being reported by each district, the expert group listed Ludhiana as the top district under the vaccination priority followed by Mohali, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Nawanshahr, Sangrur, Ropar, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar, Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Mansa, Fatehgarh Sahib and Barnala.

Under the vaccine supply and prioritisation recommendations, the experts sought inoculating those on priority who have comorbidities and were living in high-risk settings, who were in jobs that increase exposure and risk of transmission in high-risk settings, saturate populations in risk settings before spreading out, follow 1-2 for lower-risk settings before expansion and covering cities before villages in view of easy acceptance and delivery.

The communication strategy recommended by the expert group suggested improving acceptance key to supply and delivery and giving influencers and leaders unambiguous messages to share with the population prior to the vaccination drive.

The experts have also suggested geographical saturation in high caseload cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Mohali and Patiala, prioritisation based on medical needs (serious comorbidity) and professional groups (teachers, judges, journalists, elected leaders, lawyers).

However, the expert group would give the final strategy for prioritisation of 18-45 year group (vulnerable groups in high-risk areas, high transmission and high mortality, including construction workers and industrial workers, in its first report by April 29.

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