A security guard and a sanitation worker first to get Covid-19 vaccine in MP

Covid-19 inoculation drive has kicked off at 150 centres across Madhya Pradesh on Saturday with the administration of the first shots of vaccine to 53-year-old Haridev Yadav at JP Hospital in Bhopal and 55-year-old Asha Pawar at Indore district hospital.

Yadav, who has been working as a security guard for the past 2.5 years at the JP hospital, said he was lucky to be chosen among the first recipients of Covid 19 vaccine in Madhya Pradesh.

“On Thursday morning, health department officers and the district collector asked me to get vaccinated. Without thinking twice, I said yes. I am happy that I got an opportunity to serve the nation,” said Yadav.

Yadav is a contractual employee and is the sole bread-earner of his family of four people. Yadav has shown through for his commitment while managing the crowd of patients and visitors at the hospital without taking a single leave since March 2020, said a hospital official.

“I live with my wife and two sons. My family fears for my health as I have been exposed to Covid 19 patients for the past nine months. When I informed my family about the inoculation against Covid 19, they showed concern and asked about its side effects. But I convinced them that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself guaranteed the safety of people taking vaccines so they shouldn’t worry about it,” Yadav said.

Yadav, who lives in a slum at Roshanpura Square in Bhopal, said after receiving the vaccine, his neighbours would not avoid him. “My neighbours used to avoid talking to me and to my family as I work in a Covid-19 dedicated hospital. I never felt offended. I used to take all precautions because I didn’t want to spread the infection like Dharavi in Mumbai,” he added.

In Indore, Asha Pawar became the first person to get a shot of Covid 19 vaccine. A grandmother, Asha works as a sanitation worker at the district hospital. “I have volunteered for the vaccine shot. The health officials asked me to take the vaccine and I immediately agreed. My family members are happy with my decision,” said Pawar.

Pawar lives in a small house with her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. “I used to be really worried about the health of my family as I was working at a Covid-19 ward. Now my biggest worry will end with the vaccination.”

Pawar said she faced many challenges while working at the hospital during the outbreak of Covid-19. “It was not easy for me to work wearing a PPE kit and mask for many hours in a day. When the number of Covid-19 cases increased by many times in August and September last, I stopped interacting with my family for their safety. My grandchildren used to get upset with me but I controlled my feelings,” she added.

As many as 4.17 lakh healthcare workers will be administered the vaccine in the first phase of the drive in Madhya Pradesh. The state has received 506,500 doses of Covishield vaccine so far. On the first day, frontline health workers, sanitation workers and doctors will get vaccinated.