MARGAO
The squally winds hit the ongoing Covid vaccine programme in Margao on Sunday forcing the health authorities to suspend the exercise.
Health official sent a message to the Margao Urban Health Centre and the TB hospital officials to suspend the vaccination exercise in view of the cyclonic conditions in the State.
Since a number of citizens had turned up for the vaccination, the health officials decided to give them the dose before winding up the operations around noon.
The Margao Urban Health Centre inoculated as many as 120 persons in the age group, above 45 years, including a good number of frontline workers. Around 88 persons in the age group of 18 years and above also received the Covid jab, informed Health Officer, Dr Anju Kharangate.
She said the exercise was suspended around noon after inoculating all the persons who had turned up at the health centre.
Nodal officer for the Covid vaccination at the TB hospital, Dr Ira Almeida informed that around 35 citizens who had registered themselves at the centre, were administered the dose before the exercise was suspended around noon.
At the TB hospital atop Monte Hill, a tree had come crashing down on the road leading to the hospital. Some of the people who had visited the hospital to take the Covid vaccine had to take another road.
The cyclonic weather and the incessant rains also brought to the fore the need for a pandal outside the Margao Urban Health Centre building as crowds, more often than not, spill over to the roads, for want of spacious premises.
An official pointed out that the cyclonic winds and rains should come as an eye-opener for the health administrators and the district administration to intervene and get the entire space covered with a pandal to protect the citizens from rain and sun.
