SAMBALPUR: Members of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of VIMSAR, Burla, have requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to hold a special session for vaccination of first degree relatives in the 18+ age group of Health Care workers (HCWs).
In a letter to the Chief Minister on Friday, president of RDA (VIMSAR) Sanjeeb Mishra said while the HCWs are already vaccinated, their immediate family members are debarred of the benefit due to unavailability of slots. The HCWs were waiting for the vaccination of the 18-44 age group to begin to get their family members vaccinated. But due to lack of time, technical glitches and rush in the registration portals, they are facing difficulty in booking slots for their families.
During the first wave last year, the doctors and other HCWs on Covid duty were provided quarantine facilities so that they could isolate themselves after duty and keep others in the family safe from the virus. However, this time there is no such provision and the HCW are returning to their homes due to which their family members are significantly at a higher risk of infection. Around 4,000 HCWs of VIMSAR were vaccinated in the first phase.
Meanwhile, the Bargarh administration has decided to vaccinate the teachers assigned with Covid duties. In a letter, the Sub-divisional Magistrate, Bargarh, has informed the Additional District Medical Officer (Family Welfare)-cum-vaccination in-charge that the teachers have been appointed to operate helpdesks at different CHCs, Old DHH, Covid Care Centers besides, in the railway station of Bargarh and Barpali which makes them susceptible. The ADMO has been requested to treat the teachers as frontline workers and vaccinate them.