• Around 8.5 lakh beneficiaries in Mysuru District to receive jab
• Mandakalli Covid Care Centre opens

Mysore/Mysuru: The Phase-4 vaccination drive for persons above 45 years has begun across the district this morning.

However, the response was yet to pick up as today was the first day of vaccination for this category of citizens. 

There are 166 Government and 26 Private Vaccination Centres in the district. The vaccination in some Primary Health Centres (PHCs) was not happening today in view of vaccination of other vaccines for women and children under the State and Union Government schemes.

Dr. L. Ravi, District Reproduction and Child Health Officer (RCHO) and Nodal Officer for COVID-19 Vaccination in Government facilities, told SOM that the drive has started all over the district this morning and the vaccine doses was sent all periphery hospitals yesterday. Each PHC has been given 100 doses each.

An estimated 8.5 lakh people are above 45 years of age and already one lakh persons in Phase-3 (for people above 60 years and for those above 45 years with comorbidities) had been vaccinated since Mar. 8. The vaccination was going on in the District Hospital and Trauma Care Centre (MMC&RI) on KRS Road, all Taluk General Hospitals, nine Community Health Centres, a few PHCs and 23 Private Hospitals in the whole district.

Meanwhile, District Health Officer Dr. T. Amarnath said it has been decided to write to District Administration to depute more health staff to Sub-Health Centres to increase the vaccination coverage. There were 510 Sub-Health Centres in the district of which only 120 have their own buildings. Out of 120 Sub-Centres with own buildings, 80 Centres do have doctors. According to Government of India specification, there should  be three separate rooms and five health staff at each vaccination centre. But, there is only one person at each Sub-Health Centre. 

“We have requested to depute Post Graduate internees from Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) to these Centres to help in the vaccination drive,” Dr. Ravi said.

Meanwhile, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar said that citizens above 45 years of age can now get vaccinated at their vaccination booths. 

According to an estimate, around 1.66 crore people fall in this category. The State has a stock of 15 lakh doses — 13.5 lakh Covishield and 1.5 lakh Covaxin vaccines. All districts have been distributed both vaccines depending upon demand, the Minister added.

Meanwhile, Mandakalli COVID Care Centre (CCC) re-started from today in view of surge in second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Lt. Col. Dr. S.U. Ashok, Nodal Officer of CCC and District COVID War Room, has said “We are ready to combat second wave and maintain status of Model CCC in the State as we did during first wave last year.” He has thanked Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. B. S. Manjunatha Swamy and others for extending support to the cause.