The registration for vaccination in the 18-44 age group entered its second round on Tuesday, with slots consumed within minutes, leaving a large section of people disappointed and deprived. The booking of slot is entirely an online process on the basis of 'fastest finger first'. So, many of those with latest cell phones and gadgets and better internet connectivity will be the lucky few.
The online-registration-only protocol denies access to a life-saving vaccination to a large section of populace who has no access to internet or technology. Let's admit the fact that Goa doesn’t have the bandwidth to carry this critical phase of vaccination forward via internet, we don’t have the network or technology. The recent struggle on the education front tells the story. Students had to move places in search of stable network connectivity and teachers were told to undertake dual form of teaching -- online and offline. Cyclones and monsoons have further exposed the sorry state of affairs. Apparently, the Directorate of Health Services has stopped giving the health centre-wise break-up of new cases because of internet issues.
We understand that the online registration is part of the Central directive, but is the State going meekly toe that line despite the shortcomings it has, knowing well for a fact that this could cause grave injustice to those in remote rural areas? Can’t the State plead its case based on its ground reality? Given the nature of our connectivity, the government should have initiated moves and convinced the Centre on an optional route for the 18+ category. Instead of creating chaos, there should have been separate vaccination centres on first-come-first-served basis instead of fastest-finger-first.
The irony is that against such a massive demand, there are a few thousand doses available in the 18+ plus category, but on the other hand, and if the health ministry data is to be believed, there are over 2 lakh doses in hand for the 45+ category. Again, the common grouse is that fewer people in the senior category are coming out to take the jab.
When there are around 50-plus fatalities daily with people in the age group of 40-55 falling prey, the basic logic of slot-wise vaccination is defeated, unless if the government is trying to conceal a shortage of doses. Mind you, the health secretary points out that the Centre may hold back the State's quota of doses because we have a backlog which is unused. So, why is the State dragging its feet and not using part of the doses in hand to inoculate the younger category? Besides, the medical understanding is that the mutant variant is harsh on the younger crop of citizens, so what’s the point in rationing out doses the way it is currently done?
There has to be a clear plan of action, and above all there has to be transparency. Countries like the US and the UK have managed to stabilise after being at a precarious position a few months back with a mounting rate of infection and deaths. The US which was reeling until early April has steadied itself with a robust vaccination drive.
Goa is not showing the urgency the situation demands. There has to be a multi-pronged strategy in fighting Covid. While every possible effort must be made to contain transmission, there has to be aggressive vaccination drive running parallel, possibly even a mobile door-to-door inoculation.
Restricting the vaccination to the privileged class or for those who are internet savvy is in no way going to help the State in winning this battle against Covid. Let better sense prevail on vaccination.
