Scepticism, faulty data hinders vaccination drive in Gautam Budh Nagar

NOIDA: In what comes as a major concern for the Gautam Budh Nagar administration, many health workers said they are reluctant to receive the vaccination shot against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease

NOIDA: In what comes as a major concern for the Gautam Budh Nagar administration, many health workers said they are reluctant to receive the vaccination shot against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease.

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The district held its fourth session of phase one of the Covid-19 vaccination drive on Friday, even as several corona warriors expressed their reluctance, saying they harboured doubts about the vaccines ranging from its adverse effects to dearth of efficacy data.

Rakesh Kumar, a sanitation worker, is among those who did not turn up for inoculation at the primary health centre (PHC) in Dadri. One of his colleagues, Shekhar, said his family asked him not to go for vaccination. “Last evening, he told me that since he had already suffered from Covid-19, he has already developed antibodies and now doesn’t need the vaccination,” Rakesh said of Shekhar.

Sudha Singh (name changed), who works as an anganwadi worker, was informed two days ago of her vaccination slot on Friday at community health centre (CHC) in Dadri. She came to the centre, but refused to get the shot. “I’ve come here but will not take the vaccine as I’ve no idea about its accuracy and efficacy. I can’t put my life in danger as I have two small children,” she said.

A sanitation worker, who was enlisted for Friday’s inoculation at a booth at the district hospital, echoed similar views. “We are not the experimental type. We were scared in going for duties but had to as there was no other option. Again, when we are sceptical about this vaccine, we are being made scapegoats. I’ll not take the vaccine unless all doctors in the district get inoculated,” he said, requesting not to be named.

Reluctance apart, the faulty database has also dogged the vaccination drive in the district. Dr Abhishek Deswal, head of critical care medicine at Sharda hospital, has been deputed in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Covid-19 ward with his team of doctors and paramedics. “No one from our team is enlisted in the vaccination list. I’ve informed the district magistrate and the chief medical officer (CMO), requesting them to include our names in the list on a priority basis,” he said.

District magistrate Suhas LY agreed that the database has many faults. “Reluctance is a minor issue. The vaccination list includes thousands of nursing and para-medical students and staff who left the district right after the lockdown was lifted. On the other hand, this list does not include names of those health workers who joined their duties during the pandemic. These faults were not corrected on time, and the Co-WIN portal doesn’t give the rights of editing the list to the data entry operators,” he said.

The DM further said that he had asked the district health department officials to prepare an updated list of health workers to be innoculated.

Meanwhile, district CMO Dr Deepak Ohri said that the health department is leaving no stone unturned to finish the first phase of vaccination as quickly as possible and proceed to the next phase. “However, reluctance among many health workers is slowing down the process. We are hoping that the number of vaccine recipients will go up in the last two sessions of vaccination for the first phase. There are a variety of reasons why many corona warriors are not keen on getting a dose. So, we are asking senior doctors and hospital officials who have already taken shots to motivate others,” he said.

Meanwhile, the district improved its vaccination numbers by nearly 15% this time, as 3,502 out of the intended daily target of 5,234 corona warriors took the Covid-19 shot on Friday. In the four sessions held so far, Covishield could be administered to 9,146 out of 24,453 health workers.

The CMO stated that in the remaining two rounds – to be held February 4 and 5 – as many as 15,307 health workers will be inoculated. “While vaccination will take place on 60 booths on February 4, there will be 20 booths on the last session of the first phase. The second phase of vaccination will begin from February 15. We have so far uploaded the names of over 15,000 persons for the second phase,” he said.