J&K gears up to administer first round of COVID vaccine for elderly, persons with co-morbidities

2 lakh healthcare, frontline workers administered vaccine till Feb 2: Officials 

2 lakh healthcare, frontline workers administered vaccine till Feb 2: Officials 

Srinagar, Feb 27 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has started to move the healthcare apparatus to facilitate the first round of COVID19 vaccination for the general population in the Union Territory and the initial shots will be given to those  with underlying diseases and aged above 50 Years.

The union health ministry in a communication  has directed all states and UTs including Jammu and Kashmir  to devise an operational strategy for vaccination of elderly population and persons with co-morbidities. 

For the purpose, J&K government is mulling to open up more vaccination sites across districts to increase the volume of vaccines administered per day. 

A senior official in health and medical education department told news agency KNS that the vaccination for frontline workers will go ahead simultaneously with this new target group and this has necessitated more vaccine sites and vaccinators. 

“We have directed that all public health facilities, including CHCs and most likely PHCs also will be offering the vaccine in their respective areas,” he said. 

He said that the government was looking at a “major expansion” in vaccination in J&K and measures were being taken to ensure “safe and effective” drive.

One of the health official said that the department had identified 1090 vaccination sites prior to the start of the country-wide COVID19 vaccination on January 16.

He said till date only around 300 of these had been put to use. “We can do a threefold expansion of vaccination sites immediately while we embark on the new drive on 06 March,” he said. 

He further said 2 lakh people, healthcare workers and frontline workers in other categories had been vaccinated in J&K till 2 February. 

“The next four days will be mop-up rounds for those who missed their shots,” he added. (KNS)

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