PANAJI
The Directorate of Health Services on Saturday announced that having reached the last leg of vaccination of Health Care Workers (HCWs), it will begin the second phase of Covid vaccination, wherein the frontline workers in the State will be inoculated, from February 8 onwards.
Addressing the media, Chief Medical Officer of the State Family Welfare Bureau, Dr Vandana Dhume offered a peek into the statistical picture of the ongoing Covid vaccination drive in the State.
During the ongoing first round of Covid vaccination which began on January 16, a total of 19,329 HCWs, from both government and private sectors, were registered on Co-WIN portal as beneficiaries.
“We began with seven sessions on the first day and presently, we conduct 14 to 15 vaccination sessions per day all over the State. Till date, 141 sessions have been conducted and 7,246 HCWs have been vaccinated. Plan is to complete vaccinating all registered HCWs by February 12,” Dr Dhume stated.
“We are planning to start vaccinating frontline workers from February 8. At least one session will be scheduled in each district. This phase will include policemen, homeguards, municipal workers, revenue managements, panchayati raj institutions, disaster management workers and so on,” she said.
It was learnt that around 15,657 odd frontline workers have registered for vaccination on the Co-WIN portal till date.
So far, Goa has received two instalments of ‘Covishield’ vaccine, a batch of 18,000 doses on January 12 and a batch of 23,500 doses on January 20. DHS is expected to receive the third instalment of vaccine doses this week.
Dr Dhume informed that as per the guidelines received from the central government, in the all healthcare workers were to be vaccinated in the Phase I of the inoculation drive, all frontline workers in Phase II, people above the age of 50 years in Phase III and people above 50 with co-morbidities in Phase IV. Each beneficiary is mandated to receive two doses with an interval of minimum 28 days.
Dr Rajendra Borkar, the State Immunization Officer attempted to address the hesitancy among people towards the vaccine. “Covid safety norms are merely temporary solutions. The moment we default on these, the cases are going to rise again. Vaccination is the only permanent solution to this pandemic. National Vaccination Group on Covid Vaccination, the apex body, has recommended this particular vaccine. I appeal to each and every one to come forward and receive the vaccine when their turn comes for them to be protected and for the community to be protected,” he implored.
Dr Borkar, however, warned that we will have to continue Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination.
“I am 58 years old and I have taken the vaccine. None of us have had any side effects. Don’t miss your turn and the opportunity to receive a dose of the vaccine,” he added.
State Epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar explained that the vaccine affords a minimum immunity of one year but said that this can change from person to person.
65 NEW CASES RECORDED
PANAJI: A total of 65 new cases of Covid-19 were detected from among the 1,509 samples tested position the last 24 hours. While the total confirmed cases in Goa have climbed to 53,838, the active Covid count of the State is at 769. Till date, 52,299 persons have recovered from the infection in Goa. No new Covid deaths were reported in Goa on Saturday and the Covid victim count remains steady at 770.
