Mysore/Mysuru: Has love for liquor among a few Government employees slowed down the ongoing vaccination drive for frontline workers? According to Health Department Officers it is. They say the fear of being unable to consume alcohol after vaccination is deterring certain frontline workers from getting vaccinated. 

It may be recalled, many reports have been circulating since the drive began that people who are administered vaccination cannot consumer alcohol for nearly two months.

Officers, on condition of anonymity told SOM, “one of the main reasons for reluctance among frontline workers from taking the jab has been addiction to liquor. Some of the staff members in Departments of Police, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Urban Development and Revenue are daily drinkers, who cannot stay without it even for a day. On nationwide launching of vaccine drive on Jan. 16, a few Health Experts had opined that liquor should not be consumed at least for five to six weeks after taking the shot as it compromise response of immune system. Since then, many employees were not ready to take vaccine despite telling that it has not been established yet.”

Meanwhile, sources close to Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar told SOM that this problem was prevalent across the State.

They also mentioned that this problem of its employees working in various departments being reluctant to take vaccine following their addiction for liquor has come to the notice of the State Government and senior officers have been instructed to bust the alcohol myth.

“In the end, we cannot force them to get vaccinated as it is not compulsory. They can get the shot if they are interested as the chances of spreading to others are remote if vaccine is taken. It is for them to decide liquor or vaccine,” said the source.

On Monday last, Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri took the vaccine to prompt other staff members to take it. But her effort seems to have not yielded result in key departments like Revenue and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, as many employees were not coming forward to take vaccine.

Complete vaccination by Saturday

The State Health Department has asked all District Officers to complete vaccination of Healthcare and Frontline Workers before Feb. 13.

This is being done probably to administer the second dose of Covishield vaccine to all those who had received the first shot on Jan. 16 when it was launched nationwide by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to vaccine manufacturing company, second dose should be preferably given after 28 days of receiving the first shot or within two months. Going by this guideline, all those who got vaccinated on the first day, were due to receive the second dose sometime during next week.

A senior Health Officer told SOM that the State Government has so far, not taken any decision regarding the second dose of vaccination. It should be done in consultation with the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee headed by Dr. K.S. Sudarshan. Keeping this in view, the State Health Department has asked all District Officers to  mop up vaccination of Healthcare and Frontline staff before Feb. 13. The Technical Advisory Panel is likely to meet on Saturday and announce the beginning of administering second dose. According to scientists, the body develops immunity against the pandemic only after 45 days of taking the second dose. “The Government’s intention may be complete administering of second dose at the earliest to start fresh round of vaccination for people   above 50 years of age and those below 50 years but with comorbidities.”

“We have also received communication to use the existing stock of Covishield on the remaining Healthcare and Frontline workers before this week. Besides, we have been asked to remove all duplicate, ineligible and migrants names from CoWIN App to arrive at a correct picture. In district, there are around 8,000 such names to be deleted from the list and the work has begun. Quite a few healthcare workers have gone back to their States after completing studies. Return of such persons is ruled out,” the officer noted.

1,090 take shot on Feb. 10

As many as 1,090 persons of the 3,985 beneficiaries listed for taking COVID-19 vaccine took the jab yesterday.

With this, the number of Frontline workers who have taken the vaccine since Monday last, has touched 1,996 of the total 17,000 in the district. On the first day, only 358 were vaccinated and 548 persons took vaccine on the second day. Though, the number of people’s turnout for the vaccination drive was not satisfactory, the Health Department Officers were optimistic of the phase to pick up later this week.

On Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner of Mysuru Sub-Division, Venkataraju and officers from Revenue, Police, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Urban Development were among those who received the jab. The vaccination drive has been going on at the District Hospital, Taluk General Hospitals, Primary Health Centres and Urban Primary Health Centres from 10 am to 5 pm.