• 17,000 beneficiaries register in district to take jab
• Plans to complete drive in 3 days

Mysore/Mysuru: After vaccinating around 52 percent of healthcare workers, the vaccination of about 17,000 frontline workers would begin in Mysuru district from tomorrow (Feb. 8).

“Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Jawaid Akhtar held a video-conference with heads of all Departments concerned yesterday and issued directions to co-operate with Health Department Officers to complete vaccination of frontline workers within three days,” Reproductive and Child Health Officer (RCHO) and COVID-19 Immunisation Officer Dr. L. Ravi told Star of Mysore.

The frontline staff comprises Police, Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Revenue, Home Guards and Urban Development Departments. They constitute around 17,000 in the district. Names of beneficiaries given by the heads of Departments concerned have been uploaded on CoWIN App. 

Already, trial run of vaccination had been held for 50 staff of Zilla Panchayat (ZP) out of which only 20 turned up, that too after much persuasion by senior officers due to hesitancy. To instil confidence among frontline workers and carry the message that the vaccine is 100 percent safe, heads of Departments are likely to take vaccination on the first day, said RCHO Dr. Ravi.

He further said that video-conference with Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Jawaid Akhtar was participated by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri, Mysuru ZP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) B.A. Paramesh, Superintendent of Police (SP) C.B. Ryshyanth, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde. 

They shared information regarding the total number of staff to be vaccinated in their respective Departments and asked top brass to instruct those who have registered their names in the App to be present on the given date and time to get vaccinated. Health Department Officers were instructed to send details of vaccination to every individual through SMS by this evening.

While vaccination for frontline workers in rural areas would be held in Taluk General Hospitals, in Mysuru city, it would take place at District Hospital on KRS Road. 

Hitherto, they had planned to hold it in K.R. Hospital but the idea was dropped due to rush of patients, listing of surgeries and other emergency medical cases. Since the District Hospital was exclusively available for COVID-19 patients, holding vaccination drive for frontline workers would not disturb other patients. 

The total number of staff to be vaccinated in the district was around 17,000 and they would be divided for three days to cover all of them, if they come forward, the officer pointed out.

Give us break

Meanwhile, it was learnt that Health Department Workers who were working day and night without break in the last two to three months have sought time for relaxation. This was conveyed to Jawaid Akhtar, who acknowledged it and agreed to give break for the staff on rotation basis in view of big responsibility of vaccination against the pandemic.