Poor response to Covid vaccine drive in Patiala

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 16

The vaccination drive in the district garnered a poor response among health workers as only 30 per cent of the beneficiaries received the vaccine in the first phase.

The Health Department has already started administering the second dose to health workers. Meanwhile, the Patiala Civil Surgeon received the second jab on Monday.

In the first phase, which had started on January 16, only 4,637 frontline health workers received the vaccine shot. The number of targeted health workers was 14,500. Of the 4,367 vaccinated, 3,207 are government employees and 1,430 are from the private sector.

The Health Department said they had extended the vaccination deadline for health workers from February 12 to 19. Thereafter, no frontline health workers would be given the vaccine shot.

Reportedly, health workers are still hesitant to get themselves vaccinated despite an extension in the deadline. As per the Health Department, only 104 health workers received the vaccine in the past five days.

Source said both private and government sectors exhibited poor response, despite repeated appeals by the Patiala Civil Surgeon.

Dr Satinder Singh, Civil Surgeon, said: “I tried a lot to motivate health workers. However, results are disappointing. I was first one to get the shot during first phase to infuse confidence in workers. I have now also received the dose.”