BHUBANESWAR: A total 612 persons were administered the Covid-19 vaccine in Capital city on Saturday. The drive was rolled out at the session site in Capital Hospital and simultaneously launched at Unit-IV urban community health centre (CHC), BMC Hospital at Old Town, AIIMS, KIIMS and SUM.
Capital Hospital reported the highest turnout of 156 beneficiaries. However, of 170 registered beneficiaries, only 56 turned up to get the first jab of Covaxin at Unit-IV CHC in the city. As many did not turn up, the session site was kept open for an extended hour.
Officials of the CHC said while some beneficiaries were reluctant to take the vaccine, few others were out of station and would be vaccinated on Monday.
Turnout of registered health workers also remained 100 each at BMC Hospital at Old Town, KIMS, SUM and AIIMS. The inoculated included 139 doctors, 230 paramedics, 147 supporting staff, 89 ANMs and seven frontline workers.
Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) CBK Mohanty was among the prominent personalities who were vaccinated on the first day.
Mohanty took the jab at the Unit-IV UCHC. Those who took the jab said the vaccine has brought in a sense of safety and they now feel protected from the deadly virus.
“I have not experienced any discomfort or adverse effect. Rather, I feel protected now. As many people have lost their lives after contracting the virus, everyone, especially those on the frontline, should join the vaccination drive without any delay,” said Additional DMET Umakant Satpathy after getting the first dose of the vaccine at Unit-IV CHC. Another official of DMET Upagupt Mohanty urged people not to believe in rumours.
“When our scientists have dedicated their lives to develop this vaccine, it is very much obvious that it is going to help the mankind,” said Mohanty.
The first dose of the vaccine in Bhubaneswar was administered to Biranchi Naik, a sanitation worker of the Capital Hospital.
BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary said, “We have received 9,000 doses for the first phase and expect to complete the vaccination as targeted.”
Health officials and BMC staff on Friday faced some problems in communicating the schedule and slots to beneficiaries through SMS after the Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network application developed glitches. A decision was then taken to communicate to the left out beneficiaries manually over phone.