THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The corporation will launch Covid-19 vaccination drive in five wards in the city on Sunday. Nanthancode, Fort, Palayam, Vazhuthacaud and Thycaud wards will be covered under this. Over 3,000 vaccine doses will be given on Sunday.Considering the shortage of vaccines and to analyse the number of people who will turn up for the drive, the civic body will take a two-day break after Sunday before continuing with its drive. “On the first-day, the vaccination drive will be held in only five wards.
Depending on the availability of the vaccine and the number of people turning up, we will continue with the vaccination drive in the coming days. There will also be a shortage of vaccine if we go for mass vaccination drives. The vaccine has to arrive from Delhi. So we will take a two-day break, analyse the situation and then continue the drive. The aim is to cover all people above the age of 45 in all the 100 wards,” said Mayor Arya Rajendran.
Vaccination centres will be set up in 25 circles under the corporation in the first two days. “If we can cover twenty wards per day, then we can finish the vaccination programme in a week,” she added. “We are also thinking of setting up vaccination centres in each ward. Most of the councillors have requested that vaccination centres be set up in each ward as it is more convenient for the public,” she added.
The data regarding the number of persons above the age of 45 will be collected from councillors.
“We hope that more than 70 per cent of the people in the priority category will take the vaccine by next week,” she said. While a few of the staff such as doctors and nurses will be allocated by the government, the rest of the staff will be selected by the corporation.Parallelly, the corporation’s youth wing Green Army will organise awareness campaigns on social media platforms to encourage people to get vaccinated.
COVID VACCINE IN THE DIST TO LAST FOR 2 DAYS
With the state gearing up for the mega vaccination drive to combat the second surge of Covid-19, the capital district could face a shortage of vaccines. The district now has 68,000 vials of Covid vaccine. The stock will last for two days and more doses are expected to arrive in two days, according to the health department. “Earlier, we just gave about 15,000 doses per day. But with the launch of the campaign, it has doubled. Today, the requirement was 30,000. So it could increase in the coming days as all the panchayats, municipalities and local bodies will continue with the drive. The stock we have will last us for two days. But since we are going for a mass vaccination drive, and if the stock doesn’t arrive on time, then there could be a shortage of vaccines,” says District Medical Officer K S Shinu.
JAB FOR THOSE UNDERGOING PALLIATIVE CARE
The corporation is also thinking of launching a vaccination campaign to ensure that all those undergoing palliative care are vaccinated. This will be held after the one-week vaccination drive for those above 45 years of age. “Those patients in palliative care won’t be able to go and take vaccination. So we are thinking of reaching out to them. We will be focussing on palliative care units in the city as well,” the Mayor said.