‘Reluctance can only be tackled through positive messaging’

The deputy commissioner of Gurugram, Yash Garg, who took the Covid-19 vaccine shot on Thursday said that hesitancy for vaccination can only be addressed through positive messaging

The deputy commissioner of Gurugram, Yash Garg, who took the Covid-19 vaccine shot on Thursday said that hesitancy for vaccination can only be addressed through positive messaging. In a conversation with Archana Mishra, Garg talked about plans to tackle the poor turnout of front-line workers from the municipal corporation and revenue department in the second phase. Garg also shared plans for the third phase of vaccination by collating the data of prioritised groups.

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How do you assess the success of the vaccination drive in Gurugram so far?

The vaccine has been an integral part of Covid-19 management. It is the fastest and the safest way to build herd immunity. In Gurugram, roughly 24,000 healthcare workers have taken the shot. Minus the duplicity in the registered list of vaccine beneficiaries, there are close to 31,000 healthcare workers in the district. Over the next 15 days, the plan is to cover workers who have been left out. Now, the second phase has also started; therefore, the commissioner of police and I took the Covid-19 vaccine to assuage any concerns and address rumours regarding vaccine safety. A vaccine is not launched without proper safety protocols. There could be minor side effects, which indicate the body is building up an immune response. Therefore, people should not be hesitant in taking the shot.

As compared to healthcare staff, front-line workers from MCG and revenue seem to be more hesitant as at some of the sites, not a single beneficiary turned up on Thursday. How do you plan to address the issue?

Since vaccination is a voluntary exercise, reluctance can only be tackled through positive messaging on a massive scale. Also, one has to lead by example to motivate others. Meetings will be held with the departments concerned and the MCG commissioner to circulate messages regarding the safety of the vaccine. Also, social media and available resources will be used to create awareness after identifying the lacunas in the vaccination drive and the reasons for the lag.

When is the third phase of vaccination likely to start?

The third phase of vaccination includes people above 50 years of age with co-morbidities and also those who are younger than 50 years but have co-morbidities. The phase is yet to be rolled out by the central government. However, we are trying to do the preliminary work of building our database. Vaccination sites and workers are being identified. We are also trying to coordinate with private sectors. By the time the third phase is rolled out, the district will be in a good position with a solid plan for vaccination.

How are the prioritised group for the third phase being identified?

During the pandemic, a lot of surveys have been conducted in the district. The administration will also utilise the data collected through Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) or Family ID card. Multiple sources are being used. The self-registration mechanism might also start for the general population.

When will the district administration begin the vaccination of employees of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) as they too have been added as the front-line workers?

The state government has given time till February 7 for collating the data of PRI workers.