Chandigarh:
Senior doctors and other healthcare workers were administered coronavirus vaccine at over 100 sites in Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, according to officials.
The authorities had earmarked 59 sites in Punjab and 77 in Haryana for the drive, which was rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
Senior doctors received the first shot of the vaccine at many locations to build confidence and dispel any apprehensions about the vaccine.
Punjab and Haryana had received 2.04 lakh and over 2.5 lakh doses of the vaccine, respectively.
However, only 1,400 beneficiaries were administered COVID-19 vaccine in Punjab on the first day of the drive. Officials attributed the less number of beneficiaries to hesitancy among some health workers and delay in the start of the programme.
A senior official said the drive started around 12 noon. The official said in Ludhiana, it was the doctors who took the lead and got themselves vaccinated first. “People kept looking at each other because this is the first time they were getting this vaccine,” the official said.
In a response to a query, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who launched the drive in Mohali, said the vaccine would not have been approved had the scientists not been sure of its safety. The chief minister said it was his desire to get vaccinated first but in accordance with the directives of the Centre, only healthcare workers could be covered in the first phase.
”I would definitely get myself vaccinated in the next phase,” he said.
The CM said the vaccine will be administered to health workers first, followed by the Army and police personnel, in line with the guidelines of the Centre. In the first phase, 1.74 lakh health workers would be inoculated.
Patiala Civil Surgeon Satinder Singh said he, along with other senior doctors, took the shot so that a sense of confidence could be built among people.
Many senior doctors who received the shot said the vaccine was 100 per cent safe and people should trust it.
Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said all arrangements had been put in place for smooth vaccination, including online registration. Sidhu said 729 cold chain points have been established in the state for adequate storage of vials at the desired temperature. In Haryana, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar interacted with beneficiaries through a video conference and said the state has received more than 2.4 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 20,000 of Covaxin.
The CM said to ensure a smooth, effective and target-based implementation of the programme, healthcare workers and health facilities have been registered with the digital platform, CoWIN.
This includes about two lakh health workers, 5,044 vaccinators, 765 public and 3,634 private facilities, he said, adding that a state-level vaccine store has been set up in Kurukshetra.
Also, 22 vaccine stores, one in each district, have been set up. An arrangement for 22 insulated vaccine vans has been made for the transportation of vaccine to 659 cold chain points across Haryana, he said. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij too congratulated officials for ensuring “flawless administration of the vaccine drive”. Vij said the vaccine is safe and 67 lakh beneficiaries will be covered in a phased manner. Around 2.25 lakh health care workers will be administered the vaccine in the first phase, he said. Special Secretary (Health) Prabhjot Singh said the vaccine will not to be administered to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children below 18 years of age as per the guidelines.
