‘Hid jab from family as they’d refuse’

Saroj Bala, who has served in the dispensary for the last 20 years, kept the vaccination a secret from her family, which only came to know about her getting the shot from media reports.

Saroj Bala, a 40-year old sanitation worker at the general dispensary, sector 4 in Panchkula, said that she didn’t tell her family about the vaccine, shortly after she received the first dose on Saturday.

When asked if she felt afraid, Saroj Bala said, “No, there was no fear.”

Bala, who has served in the dispensary for the last 20 years, kept the vaccination a secret from her family, which only came to know about her getting the shot from media reports.

“We are five members, but no one knew that I was going to get the first shot today. Had they known, they would have never allowed me to come,” she said adding,”A doctor informed me about this around a month ago and I agreed.”

When asked why she went ahead despite the opposition, she said, “Work comes first.”

A resident of sector 11, Haripur, Bala’s husband Ram Saroop works as a Class-4 employee in a government office. Hr said that he felt honoured that his wife took a shot.

The drugs regulatory authority approved two vaccine for emergency use earlier this month: Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech Ltd and Covishield, developed by Oxford-Astra Zeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune.

At least 300 million are expected to be given the vaccine in the first phase, where doctors, frontline workers including sanitation workers and anganwadi workers will be covered.

Haryana Health department administered the vaccine to about 5907 beneficiaries at 77 immunization sites across the state.

When asked if she felt afraid, Bala said, “No, there was no fear.”