Zero vaccinations at two MCG session sites

A group of men and women wearing khakhi uniforms had gathered outside the community centre in Sector 38 on Thursday morning to head to the Covid-19 vaccination site at Islampur community centre on Sohna Road

A group of men and women wearing khakhi uniforms had gathered outside the community centre in Sector 38 on Thursday morning to head to the Covid-19 vaccination site at Islampur community centre on Sohna Road. But before reaching the site, they decided not to take Covid-19 vaccination, after hearing that many of their seniors in the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) had not taken the shot.

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“We will go to the vaccination site but won’t take the shot. Vaccination is voluntary, and it cannot be forced,” said Sachin, supervisor, sanitation staff of Ward 28, even as 20 people surrounding him nodded in agreement.

“Why is so that we are being pushed to take the vaccine but not our seniors?” said Sachin.

A woman worker, requesting anonymity, said that the entire sanitation staff has pulled through the worst of the pandemic over the last year. “So, is it even necessary to take the vaccine now?” she said.

Many sanitation staff who reached the vaccination site posed similar questions to Kamlesh, an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), who was deployed as a Covid-19 vaccinator at the Islampur site.

The entire sanitation group of over 40 people boycotted the vaccination and left the site despite Kamlesh’s efforts to motivate them. None of them took the vaccine jabs, even as the vaccinators waited till 5pm.

A similar situation prevailed at Sukhrali, where none of the registered vaccine beneficiaries turned up for the shot, citing multiple reasons. Rajbala, a vaccinator at Sukhrali said, “Based on the contact numbers given in the beneficiary list, we have contacted the MCG staff. Some of them directly refused, while others said that they are too busy to come for vaccination.”

Out of the five vaccination sites for MCG workers, these two sites reported zero footfall. Due to apprehension and lack of awareness regarding the safety of Covid-19 vaccine, front-line workers decided to turn away from taking the jab on Thursday.

Hesitancy regarding vaccination existed even among healthcare workers. The vaccination of front-line workers, however, has brought to the fore the lack of awareness as well as fears among white-collar workers.

Overall, only 67 of the 500 MCG workers took the jabs.

“These workers are not confident to take the vaccination as they are scared. If one from the group takes the vaccine, others will certainly follow,” said a vaccinator at the Sector 10A session site. The vaccination at the site did not start until the councillor of the area arrived to motivate the staff.

At the vaccination site at the MCG’s Sector 34 office, some employees at the superintendent level inquired about the vaccine but cited multiple health issues for not taking the shot. A computer operator at the MCG office, who took the vaccine said, “Unnecessarily, senior officials are scared of vaccination. Someone has to come forward and be a part of it at least motivate others.”

The vaccinators at the site also said that the staff has been lacking confidence to come forward.

MCG commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh and chief medical officer of MCG, Dr Ashish Singla, were unavailable for comment on Thursday. A senior official of the administration privy to the matter, said, “Vaccination of MCG employees cannot improve until seniors set an example by getting vaccinated at each of sites.”