PUDUCHERRY: Amidst rising COVID-19 cases in Puducherry, Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said people should not hesitate to receive the vaccine to fight the pandemic.
Even a day's delay in getting the vaccine would mean delaying antibody formation in the body and hence there should be no hesitation by people to get the inoculation, said the Lt Governor who is herself a doctor, while inaugurating a vaccination festival at the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a private medical college in Puducherry.
The vaccination programme was being implemented in a coordinated manner in association with private medical colleges and hospitals under a public-private partnership, she said. There was no shortage of vaccines in Puducherry, she said, adding that the Union territory should emerge as first in the country with cent percent coverage of people under the vaccination programmes.
Assuring the people that no adverse reaction or side effect would arise after taking the vaccination, the LT Governor said that that from May 1, those above 18 years would also be inoculated against the pandemic.
Actor Vivekh did not die due to vaccination, she said, adding that his soul would not accept such misinformation. He wanted to be an ambassador for the vaccine. “Although COVID-19 is a deadly disease, we must drive it away because we are smarter than that,” said the Lt Governor.
On the vaccination drive, 30,473 healthcare workers, 18,128 frontline workers and 10,9471 general people have been inoculated so far in the Union territory. However the number of general public taking the vaccine has been decreasing.
Health Secretary T Arun, Director of Health and Family Welfare Services, Advisers to Lt Governor Chandramouli and Maheshwari and officials of the hospital were among those who spoke.
The government has taken steps to provide masks at affordable prices through the government milk cooperative Ponlait outlets to make them easily available to the poor. The mask will be sold for Rs 1 and the sanitiser bottle for Rs 10. “Just like locking the house to prevent theft, you should wear a mask to prevent corona. The mask is a simple piece of equipment that protects us and others,” said Dr Tamilisai.
The general public, especially young people, should become ambassadors to raise awareness about the vaccine and the mask, she said. These affordable masks and sanitiser bottles are available for immediate sale through the 70 Ponlait centers in Puducherry. About 4 lakh masks will be bought and sold by the health department, said T Sudhakar, Managing Director, Ponlait.
Meanwhile, Puducherry registered 619 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with the total tally reaching 49,593 while the death toll climbed to 722 as five more people succumbed to the infection. Of the total new cases, Puducherry region alone accounted for 470 followed by Karaikal 70, Yanam 41 and Mahe 38.
Director of Health and Family Welfare Services S Mohan Kumar said there were 5,404 active cases which included 1,036 patients taking treatment in hospitals while the remaining 4368 were in home isolation. He said 43,467 patients recovered and were discharged so far from hospitals. He also said the fatality and recovery rates were 1.46 percent and 87.65 percent respectively.