Ggm opens spl jab centre for international travellers

The district health department has set up a special Covid-19 vaccination site at Polyclinic in Sector 31, for people who have to travel abroad for educational purposes or job

The district health department has set up a special Covid-19 vaccination site at Polyclinic in Sector 31, for people who have to travel abroad for educational purposes or job. Athletes, sportsmen, and staff accompanying the Indian contingent for the Olympics in Tokyo can also get themselves vaccinated at this centre.

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As per the government guidelines, the time gap between two vaccine doses for international travellers will be 28 days, instead of 84 days.

“Students and citizens undertaking international travels for education, job, or the 2020 Summer Olympics till August 31, 2021, can visit the Sector 31 polyclinic for their second dose (after 28 days from the first dose only) of Covishield from Tuesday (June 14). There are 100 slots for the second dose of Covishield, on a first-come-first-serve basis,” said Dr MP Singh, district immunisation officer (DIO).

The recommended time interval between the two doses of Covishield is 84 days.

People who want to get themselves vaccinated at this centre will have to carry their passports, relevant travel documents, and provisional certificate of the first dose of vaccination. In cases, where the first dose was administered with an alternative ID proof, people will be given a separate annexure authorising the linkage of their passports and vaccination certificates.

According to Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer (CMO), the special vaccination camp has been set up to ease the vaccination process for international travellers, following the government guidelines.

Dinesh Munjal, a resident of Essel Towers in Sector 28, said that his son needs the second dose before leaving for the USA on a work visa. “There hasn’t been any clarity on the time interval between the two doses. Since lockdown restrictions are being gradually lifted, my son has to go back to his office in the USA. It is not possible for him to wait for the next 84 days to get vaccinated.”

Meanwhile, at least 14,959 doses — 5,472 doses in government health centres, and 9,487 in private facilities — were administered to people on Monday. Out of the overall coverage, over 12,269 were in the 18-45 age group, while 2,381 were above 45 years. Some 143 healthcare workers, and 166 frontline workers and their family members also took the jab.

On Tuesday, the health department will inoculate 700 disabled and abandoned senior citizens of Anand Ashram at Bandhwari village.