Odisha orders probe after 51-yr-old says he was given vaccine twice

Rajendra Behera, the official observer at the Odisha vaccination centre, said the man continued to stay in the vaccination area after receiving the shot instead of shifting to the observation room. It was by mistake that he was given the second dose, he said.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha health officials have ordered a probe after a 51-year-old farmer in the state’s Mayurbhanj district alleged that he was given two doses of Covid vaccine in a span of five minutes.

Prasanna Kumar Sahu said he was given the vaccine twice within a span of five minutes at a vaccination centre in Odisha ‘s Mayurbhanj district

Prasanna Kumar Sahu of Mayurbhanj district’s Bachhuripada village said he had gone to a vaccination camp at Satyasai Government High School at Khuntapur on Saturday for the first dose of Covishield after booking a slot.

“After getting the jab, I collected a paracetamol tablet for any possible fever... Within 5 minutes, a nurse came and gave the vaccine again before I could tell her that I have been vaccinated,” said Sahu from his village over phone.

“I was too shocked. The officials there told me that nothing would happen and if anything happens then I should go to the nearby health centre,” he said. He was given an oral rehydration solution to drink.

Rajendra Behera, the official observer at the vaccination centre, said the gaffe happened as Sahu was present in the vaccination area even after receiving the shot instead of shifting to the observation room. It was by mistake that he was given the second dose, he said.

On Monday, the district administration sent a team to Sahu’s home to check if he had any adverse reaction to the vaccine. “Luckily, I have had no adverse reaction so far. But anything could have happened. Those vaccinating should have been more cautious,” he said.

Last week, a 63-year-old woman in Bihar was administered two doses of two different Covid vaccines the same day. Sunila Devi from Patna was told to wait for some time after she got her shot at a vaccination centre in Punpun block town. She, however, assumed that everyone should take vaccines at both the counters and stood in another queue for vaccines. Soon, she was administered the Covishield vaccine by the health workers. The woman is said to be fine but is under observation.

In April, Kamlesh Kumari in her 50s in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district was given two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine at a government centre.