18+ vax: Come May 17, Himachal slots to be visible on CoWIN

With vaccination of the 18-44 age bracket starting in Himachal Pradesh on May 17, session sites and available slots will be visible for scheduling on the CoWIN portal from May 15, National Health Mission director Dr Nipun Jindal said on Thursday

With vaccination of the 18-44 age bracket starting in Himachal Pradesh on May 17, session sites and available slots will be visible for scheduling on the CoWIN portal from May 15, National Health Mission director Dr Nipun Jindal said on Thursday.

The state has received 1,07,620 doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India, Pune (Representative Photo/HT)

Vaccination for the 18-44 age group will only be done on Monday and Thursday at dedicated sites. The sessions will be visible in the CoWIN portal two days before to each scheduled session. Initially, vaccination sessions will be held on May 17, 20, 24, 27 and 31.

The state has received 1,07,620 doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India, Pune. Beneficiaries can register themselves and schedule their appointment for vaccination on the CoWIN portal, he said, adding that no beneficiary will be entertained on the vaccination site without an appointment.

Registration and scheduling of the vaccination centre and time can also be done through Arogya Setu app.

Bank staff, teachers on Covid duty added to priority groups

Bank employees, teachers on Covid duty, HRTC drivers and conductors have been included in the priority age group for vaccination. Fuel-pump operators, public distribution system depot holders, chemists, Lok Mitra Kendra staff, employees in Child Care Institutions and workers of the pharma Industry have also been added to the group.

Beneficiaries in the priority groups must get themselves certified from the department concerned for vaccination, he said.

State failed to take scientists’ warning seriously: CPIM 

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) on Thursday asked the state government to make adequate preparations to combat the virus.

“Scientists had forewarned that the new variant was a super spreader. It seems the government and its agencies underestimated and undermined the forewarning and instead adopted the ‘wait and watch’ approach, said CPI(M) state secretary Onkar Shad.

“Preliminary analysis of the virus’ behaviour and its socio -economic impact on Himachal indicates that despite the virulent strain, the density of population in the state creates conditions ,in which spread of the virus can be kept under control,” he said.

On the state’s high Covid fatality rate, Shad said factors such as delay in medical treatment, the government’s failure to trace and test the infected, an unscientific outlook, fear of being stigmatised, failure to provide uninterrupted supply of oxygen, shortage of staff and scarcity of life saving drugs were responsible.”