SHILLONG, Jan 15: On the first day of COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday, around 1,000 health workers will be vaccinated at 10 sites across the state.
In Shillong, the main vaccination drive will be held at NEIGRIHMS, Mawdiang-diang. Governor Satya Pal Malik and Health Minister AL Hek will be among dignitaries to attend the programme.
Each vaccination site will have registration space, waiting space and observation space and the people taking the shots will be kept under observation for 30 minutes.
Stating that the state has a lot of experience in vaccination programmes, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, Sampath Kumar said after the vaccination of health workers, the government would focus on frontline workers, municipal workers, police and people working with disaster management in the second phase.
People aged above 50 years and others with comorbidities will be vaccinated in the third phase.
Allaying fears about safety, Kumar said the vaccines would produce antibodies to fight the pandemic.
“The vaccines will prove efficient. The health workers are looking to get vaccinated,” Kumar said.
He also said that COVID-19 is a public health emergency and people should trust the scientific bodies and regulatory authorities which approved the vaccines after rigorous testing and trials.
People will be given two doses – the second within 28 days since the first shot. Kumar said the vaccine will not be changed during second shot. The state recently received around 35,000 doses of Covishield vaccines. “I feel it will take a minimum of six months to one year to complete the entire vaccination programme,” Kumar added.
CM may launch
vaccination drive
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is likely to launch the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday.
“We are prepared for it. Some 16,000 health workers will be vaccinated in the state and we have received 35,000 doses,” Health Minister AL Hek said on Friday.
He said the health workers – not citizens or politicians – will get the first shots as per the government’s policy.
In a lighter vein, he said, “I will be very happy if I am vaccinated first. It will be a sort of record to be the first in Meghalaya, but we shall have to follow the policy.”
On how health workers are selected, he said, “We cannot force anyone if they don’t want to. It is voluntary.”
On the apprehensions of public about side effects of the vaccine, Hek said, “Have faith in the medical experts and scientists who put in a lot of hard work to come out with the vaccines. Let us look at the brighter side of it. If anything, we will rectify it in the future.”
The vaccination drive will be carried out in NEIGRIHMS, Mawphlang CHC, Nongstoin Civil Hospital, Sutnga CHC (East Jaintia Hills), Williamnagar Civil Hospital (East Garo Hills), Holy Cross Hospital (West Garo Hills), Ampati Civil Hospital (South West Garo Hills), Resulbelpara CHC (North Garo Hills), Jowai Civil Hospital) and Umsning CHC.