Covid-19: Ghaziabad sees 66% coverage on day 1 of vaccination for people above 45 years

Ghaziabad: On Thursday, when Ghaziabad district was to vaccinate 14,000 beneficiaries against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, only 9309 beneficiaries could be administered the jab across 96 centres

Ghaziabad: On Thursday, when Ghaziabad district was to vaccinate 14,000 beneficiaries against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, only 9309 beneficiaries could be administered the jab across 96 centres. Thursday was also when the vaccination drive for people aged above 45 years was initiated. The Ghaziabad district is to achieve a target of inoculating 216,000 beneficiaries by April 30.

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According to official figures, out of the 96 centres, 29 were at private, where 2794 persons were inoculated, while 67 were government facilities, where 6,515 beneficiaries got their jabs. The day’s coverage was about 66.49%.

“We are trying to cover more beneficiaries per day, and will improve our coverage in the coming days. We have already asked our officers to spread awareness among the public to take up vaccination. Ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections, we have also issued an advisory to contesting candidates to spread awareness about vaccination among the masses and help us bring more people to vaccination centres,” district magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey said.

As per the target given by the Uttar Pradesh government, the district has been given a target of inoculating 216,000 beneficiaries this month, with the weekly target being 54,000.

On Thursday, some of the vaccination centres reported a huge rush in the morning, and officials had to depute home guards and also call up local police control room vans to help control the crowd.

“There was a huge rush in the morning hours and people who were lined up were hardly maintaining social distancing. Even after repeated appeals made by us and intervention by home guards, they did not listen. So, we called up the local police for help. Once the PCR van arrived, the queues came in order,” said Dr Sanjay Teotia, chief medical superintendent of the government-run Sanjay Nagar Combined District Hospital.

The hospital was able to vaccinate 440 people on Thursday, exceeding its target of 400 for the day. It also started functioning as dedicated Covid L2 category (for mild and moderate symptomatic Covid patients) hospital from Thursday and doubling up as a Covid testing centre.

The primary health centre at Shastri Nagar, meanwhile, vaccinated 376 beneficiaries against its target of 300 for the day. Health centres at Vasundhara, Makanpur (Indirapuram), Rajbagh and Vijay Nagar (1) also exceeded their respective targets of vaccinating 200 beneficiaries each on Thursday.

The performing health centres are in city areas.

On the other hand, none of the 15 government-run health-and-wellness centres (additional PHCs) in rural segments of Loni, Muradnagar, Bhojpur and Dasna could achieve their target of vaccinating 100 beneficiaries each on Thursday. They could vaccinate only between 10 and 90 beneficiaries, official data shows.

Regarding the ongoing vaccination drive, state officials said they will be starting with “focussed vaccination” for beneficiaries of specific groups such as bankers, teachers, vendors, drivers, media persons and lawyers, among others, for whom specific days for inoculation will be chalked out by next week.

“We are chalking out a calendar for focused vaccination of specific groups and they will be requested to come for the shots to their nearest centre. Although such people aged over 45 years can always go to their nearest centre for taking up vaccination any day. But on days chalked out in the calendar, we will request specific groups to come and take up vaccination,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, UP’s additional chief secretary (health).