MARGAO
A day after the dismal show, frontline workers made a beeline for the COVID vaccination in Margao, even as newly-posed district Collector, Ruchika Katyal, IAS took a jab of the vaccine on Tuesday to instill confidence and send a positive message amongst the frontline workers.
At the end of the day two, a total of 209 frontline workers, including senior officials, took the jab of COVID vaccine at the two designated centres in Margao. In between, COVID Vaccination Nodal Officer Dr Aira Almeida held an awareness programme at the district Collectorate, South to motivate the frontline workers to volunteer for the vaccination and to dispel fears and misconception on the COVD vaccine.
South Goa District Collector, Ruchika Katyal visited the South Goa district Hospital on Tuesday morning at around 10 to take the jab of the COVID vaccine, sending a message loud and clear to the frontline workers that it’s safe to take the COVID vaccine. Senior officials, including Additional Collector, South Surendra Naik also took a jab of the vaccine on Tuesday, in a bid to convince the frontline workers to take the vaccine during the ongoing exercise. Monday had seen deputy Collector, Jyoti Kumari, IAS and other senior officials all taking a jab of the COVID vaccine at Margao.
While officials appeared a worried lot on Monday after the poor turnout of the frontline workers on Monday, with just 35 frontline workers taking the jab out of the 200 workers listed for the day, smiles returned on the faces of the officials on Tuesday as the two centres recorded cent per cent vaccination.
While the TB Hospital atop Monte Hill saw 100 frontline workers tuning up to take the vaccine, around 109 frontline workers, around nine more than the prescribed numbers, came for the vaccination at the South Goa district hospital.
Margao Urban Health Officer, Dr Anju Kharangate informed that 109 frontline workers took the jab of the COVID vaccine at the South Goa district Hospital on Tuesday. She said the vaccination drive for the front line workers will continue till February 12.
Dr Aira Almeida, manning the COVID vaccination at the TB hosptial, said while just eight frontline workers had turned up at the centre, the number of frontline workers that turned up for the vaccination was 100. “We had an awareness programme at the South Goa district Collectorate on Tuesday for the frontline workers, wherein their fears and misconceptions were addressed”, she added.
