SHILLONG, Jan 7: The state government will start administering the booster doses from Monday onwards to senior citizens, health and frontline workers in the first phase.
“The doses will be given in the first phase to all the people with co-morbidities and above 60 years and also all the health workers are frontline workers,” Principal Secretary Health, Sampath Kumar said on Friday.
He said administering the booster dose to the vulnerable elderly people was the topmost priority of the department. Kumar said the state has adequate vaccines and all the young eligible people should go for the jab. “We should all take vaccines and the booster doses,” he added.
The ‘precaution dose’ (booster) for COVID-19 will be administered to the preferred category of people from January 10. Those who had two doses of Covaxin will be given Covaxin booster; ditto with Covishield.
Stating that the adolescents aged 15-18 years are an important group with not much vaccine hesitancy, Kumar said, “We want to complete the vaccination of this group in the next two-three weeks.”
He said they are coordinating with the Education department and making sure that schools are open for vaccination on a given day.
“Vaccination can be done in schools and colleges, which will be easier for the students,” he added.
The strategy is to ensure vaccination as the first line of defence, have proper containment measures in place to minimise the spread of the virus and ensure COVID appropriate behaviour, Kumar said.
State to ramp up testing
Health Minister James PK Sangma said the state government is planning to increase the number of testing
centres at the Umling entry point in the Ri-Bhoi district.
“We want to increase the testing to ease congestion. But I understand that the inconvenience will still remain. We urge the people to bear with the government during this time of crisis,” he told reporters here on Friday.
Pointing out that five Omicron cases have been detected in the state, he said the state government is taking the situation very seriously.
He said new SOPs are in place now. “I would like to urge upon the people to ensure that they strictly follow the COVID-19 protocols and to not let their guards down,” Sangma said.
“The prefabricated structures have been completed. We have a sizable number of beds available with us in case there is a spike. As of now, things are under control,” he added.