Concerned over the poor response of the state’s healthcare workers to the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive, the Punjab Government on Monday extended the time limit for the healthcare workers to get their first shot of the vaccine from February 12 to 19.
At the same time, it has been made clear that those failing to get covered till February 19 may not get free vaccination. They will be vaccinated under the drive to inoculate the general population after the completion of ongoing Phase I and II, as per the decision taken during the third meeting of the State Steering Committee for COVID vaccination, chaired by the state Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan on Monday evening.
Besides, the Committee also decided that the vaccination of frontline workers in the ongoing second phase will be completed by the first week of March.
“It was decided that the first dose of vaccine, which was to be provided to healthcare workers only up to February 12, would now be given up to February 19. However, those who fail to opt for vaccination by then, would be vaccinated with the general population and may not get free vaccination on priority,” said an official spokesperson.
As per the figures provided by the state Health Department, it has been observed that more frontline workers, such as police personnel, have turned up to receive their jabs as compared to the state’s healthcare workers. As many as 12,021 frontline workers, having maximum of police personnel, have already received the vaccine in the second phase over five days.
Since January 16, when the nationwide vaccine drive was started, a total of 70,106 health workers had received the vaccine shots.
Already, the state health department had already asked the Civil Surgeons of the districts that showed poor responses to motivate the health workers.