Half of frontline, healthcare workers without vaccination in Punjab

With healthcare workers and frontline workers reluctant to taking the jab even as the state is facing a second wave of the disease, the state health department has directed mandatory weekly covid-19 test of those who have not taken the shots. This is to avoid the spread of the disease

AMRITSAR Even as Punjab is recording over 1,000 fresh infections a day amid the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic, over half of registered healthcare workers and frontline warriors have not been vaccinated. This leaves them at high risk of being infected.

The state has said that it is prepared to deal with surge. (Photo only for representation HT file photo)

In the first phase of the vaccination drive, just over 1 lakh healthcare staff (48% of registered beneficiaries) and 93,200-odd frontline warriors (46% of total beneficiaries), including police personnel, members of para-military forces and other government employees have been inoculated.

With healthcare workers and frontline workers still reluctant to taking the jab, the state health department has directed mandatory weekly covid-19 test of those who have not taken the shots. This is to avoid spread of the disease.

“The second wave of covid-19 has started in the state. We expect nearly 3,000 fresh cases a day by March-end. We are equipped to deal with the surge and nearly 8,000 (level 2 and level 3) beds are available at government and private hospitals, with enough ventilators. More than half of frontline warriors have not taken the shot. Such individuals remain at high risk,” said Punjab nodal officer for covid-19 Dr Rajesh Bhaskar.

He added, “The state health department does not have a figure on how many healthcare and frontline workers, who did not take the vaccine, have been infected with covid-19, after the commencement of vaccination drive. Elderly and people above 45 with co-morbidities are showing good response as 70,644 of them have been vaccinated in Punjab in just a few days.”

Patiala civil surgeon Dr Satinder Singh said, “Since unvaccinated healthworkers and frontline warriors are at high risk, we will now conduct their covid test, every Monday, to check infection rate among them in the second wave.”

GOVT SCHOOL STUDENTS,

TEACHERS BEING INFECTED

State health department says nearly 1,100 students and 700 teachers of government schools across the state have contracted the disease in Punjab over the past two months. “We have increased testing in government schools. In some districts, students and teachers are major contributors to the case load,” said Dr Bhaskar.