With 1 lakh healthcare workers in Odisha yet to be given the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine before the February 10 deadline, a district administration in Odisha on Friday warned the healthcare workers that their salary would be withheld if they fail to get vaccinated.
In a letter to the officials of Cuttack's SCB Medical College and Hospital, chief district medical officer, superintendent of Sishu Bhawan and CMC Commissioner, Cuttack district collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani said a large number of health workers/Anganwadi workers who have registered under different establishments are not turning up for the vaccination.
"As the percentage of vaccination of Cuttack district is one of the lowest in the state, it is causing a great embarrassment. Those registered under different establishments for Covid-19 vaccine should positively take the shot by February 10, failing which their salary/remuneration/stipend for the month will not be drawn,” the district collector said in his letter.
The district collector advised the officials to sensitize the health workers/Anganwadi workers so that they come forward for vaccination.
Cuttack is among the three districts in Odisha that have achieved less than 60 per cent of the vaccination target which began on January 16. The other two districts are Bolangir and Jajpur.
{{/usCountry}}Cuttack is among the three districts in Odisha that have achieved less than 60 per cent of the vaccination target which began on January 16. The other two districts are Bolangir and Jajpur.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: 4G Mubarak! tweets Abdullah with mobile internet services being restored in J-K
Additional chief secretary, health department, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said such dire warnings by the Cuttack administration were necessary as the healthcare workers had volunteered for the jabs. "They can't back out just like that. After they registered on the CoWIN portal, the Centre sent the required number of vaccines," said Mohapatra, who got himself vaccinated on Friday. He hoped that all the 3.38 lakh healthcare workers who had registered their names on the CoWin portal would be vaccinated by February 10.
The vaccination has slowed down among the Anganwadi workers in several districts as many of them are hesitant and unsure of the vaccine's efficacy. Several Anganwadi workers are also hesitant to take the shot as they feel there is no point in taking the vaccine when Odisha is reporting less than 100 Covid-19 cases every day and the number of active Covid-19 cases have dropped below 1,000. Of the 30 districts, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur districts have currently no active Covid-19 patients.
Meanwhile, the state government braced for another massive Covid-19 inoculation drive from Saturday with Odisha Police DG Abhay set to receive the first jab. Apart from Abhay, SPs and collectors of all the districts will also be administered the Covid-19 vaccine.
To instil confidence, the government has asked senior officials including DGP, collectors, SPs and others to take the vaccine and share a photo of the same on social media. Apart from police personnel, frontline workers of home, urban Development and revenue departments, besides other Corona warriors, would be administered the Covid-19 vaccine from Saturday.