State asks all health workers to take the jab by February 25

KOLKATA: Health workers who are yet to receive the first dose of Covid vaccine have been asked by the Health department to get it done by February 25. The decision has been taken as the vaccination of poll personnel has begun in the state.

Union Health Ministry has also issued an advisory to the State government urging it to complete the vaccination for the health workers in the first phase without a delay. Most of the health workers in the state have already received the first dose of the vaccine. Second, dose of vaccination has currently been going on for the health workers. Health workers are now given vaccines on a priority basis. The inoculation drive would not be carried out among the health workers on a priority basis after next Thursday.

The registration of health workers on the CoWIN app for the first dose has been closed. Those whose names have featured on the CoWIN app and not received the vaccine can receive the first dose from any vaccination site. The poll personnel would be given priority after Thursday as over 5 lakh election workers need to be vaccinated within March 5.

According to health department sources over 7.5 lakh people have already been vaccinated in the state. Apart from the health workers, the front line workers from various departments are being administered vaccines. The inoculation drive has begun for poll personnel from Monday.

Health experts have pointed out that if someone has to receive anti-rabies vaccine after being inoculated with Covid vaccine can go ahead and receive it. People suffering from other diseases can also receive Covid-19 vaccine as it is safe.

It may be mentioned here that the second dose of vaccination of poll personnel would be started after March 6 and would continue till April 3. It would take around two weeks for a person to develop antibodies against Covid. It is expected that the poll personnel would get two weeks time after receiving the second dose of vaccine before the election begins. The Health department has already decided to increase the number of vaccination sites so that

the inoculation drive of poll personnel can be finished on time.