Mohali starts vax drive for 18+ construction workers

Tribune News Service
Mohali, May 10

The vaccination drive for construction workers aged between 18 and 44 was launched today at a dispensary in Phase 7, Mohali.

Supervising the state-level launch of the phase, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu appreciated that Mohali district was leading the state in the drive.

Sidhu told the media that all registered construction workers and their family members in the 18 to 44 age group would be covered in the first round of the vaccination phase across the state, as per the lists provided by the Labour Department. He said their focus was on covering persons at the highest risk of infection and transmission.

Sidhu said certain professions were at a greater risk of the infection and hence, 30 per cent of the doses had been allocated to the group. “A list of professions at risk has been presented in the strategy, but for May 2021, only the top three categories are to be included — government employees, construction workers, teachers and other staff at government and private educational establishments falling under the 18 to 44 age group. Thereafter, individuals with comorbidities in this age group will be covered,” he added.

Sidhu said the Punjab Government had placed an immediate order for 30 lakh doses with Serum Institute of India Ltd. He said the government was informed about the allocation of 4.29 lakh doses for the 18-44 age group for May, but so far, the state had received only 1 lakh doses.

Highlighting the strategy used for allocating vaccines, he said the districts had been divided on population-based incidence, mortality and density into three zones in the order of priority. He said the zones were allocated 50 per cent, 30 per cent and 20 per cent of the doses, respectively.