UP prepares for Covid-19 vaccination of elderly population

The director general of family welfare department Dr Dubey said the authorities will soon get the guideline for vaccination of the elderly.

Uttar Pradesh health department has begun planning for Covid-19 vaccination of people over 50-years of age after the drive to vaccinate front line workers gets over in the state, said an official.

Medical experts said aged people with comorbidities or some other kind of illnesses should be given preference for vaccination(REUTERS)

“We have started second dose for health workers and frontline workers are getting their first dose. Once the healthcare workers are administered the second dose and the frontline workers are given the first dose, the focus will shift upon 50-years plus aged people,” said Dr Rakesh Dubey, director general family welfare.

Six states -- Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat – began giving their second doses for the first time on Monday. The vaccination drive has been hit by glitches in the CoWIN application launched for this purpose and hesitancy among recipients driven mostly by the fear of adverse reaction.

Dubey said the authorities will soon get the guideline for vaccination of the elderly. He added that currently registration of people outside the two groups of healthcare workers and frontline workers was not taking place. However, it may be announced soon. “We are yet to get the information about it, but may be announced soon,” said Dr Dubey.

Medical experts said that aged people with comorbidities or some other kind of illnesses should be given preference for vaccination. “People with respiratory illness, immunocompromised people, diabetes patients should be vaccinated first ideally,” said Prof Kausar Usman, HoD geriatric medicine at the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow.

“This has a simple reason, as elderly with a comorbid condition are more vulnerable to catching infection. And since Covid is under control but not finished hence they (elderly with comorbidity) need protection quickly,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, association of international doctors.

In Uttar Pradesh 9.37 lakh health workers were listed for vaccination and 75% of them have been vaccinated. About 20,000 have also got their second dose and authorities hope that the mop up round planned on February 19 will take the vaccination (first dose) among healthcare workers to beyond 80%, said Dr Ajai Ghai, state immunisation officer.