Door-to-door vaccination drive turns damp squib in Patiala

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 21

The ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ — a door-to-door vaccination programme — is turning out to be a damp squib. Beneficiaries are not responding to health officials as much as they were earlier. Only 457 beneficiaries were administered the Covid vaccine under the campaign today. The Health Department said it had identified 221 eligible beneficiaries in 771 households in seven villages today. However, only 151 — after a lot of persuasion by health officials — agreed to get the shot.

It has been learnt that the beneficiaries, in the face of a steep decline in corona cases, have become reluctant to take the jab. In some instances, beneficiaries are telling a lie about their whereabouts. They tell health officials that they are out of station while staying at home. Some beneficiaries were even found feigning one or more diseases to avoid getting a jab.

Similarly, 352 beneficiaries were traced who were partially vaccinated and had completed the gap period. However, they were not ready to get fully vaccinated. After a lot of counselling, of the 352, 308 received the second dose while others refused to take the jab.

One of the beneficiaries, who was partially vaccinated, said, “Since there are no fresh cases of Covid, there is no fear of infection. I will get my second shot when I am free.”

Dr Veenu Goyal, District Immunisation Officer, said, “Beneficiaries have to realise that everyone has to be fully vaccinated to curb the spread of Covid. None of us can be safe until everyone is fully vaccinated. One should not avoid vaccination merely for some minor post-vaccination symptoms, which are natural in any vaccination.”