COVID-19 Vaccination Drive In Odisha: People Over 50 To Get Jab From March 1

Bhubaneswar:  It is the turn of the 50-year-olds now. The Odisha government will begin COVID-19 vaccination drive for the population above 50 years of age from March 1.

“The State government has decided to inoculate people above 50 years of age from March 1. The vaccination drive will begin after registration of those citizens,” said Dr Jayant Panda, Technical spokesperson of the State Health and Family Welfare Department on Monday.

The second round for healthcare workers

The second round of COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) began on Monday, at several hospitals and healthcare centres across Odisha. It will continue till March 15.

Meanwhile, as many as 200 CRPF jawans received Covaxin shots at the CRPF Group Centre in Bhubaneswar on Monday. IG, CRPF, Odisha Sangram Keshari Mohanty launched the vaccination drive.

“The jawans will have to first register themselves by providing their identification proof. Then verification will be done following which they will have to fill a form. Following the paper works, they will be administered the vaccine,” a senior CRPF official was quoted as saying.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel too, received the first shot of vaccine at a camp organised at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA).

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has extended the timeline for the first dose mop-up vaccination for remaining healthcare workers till February 25.

Odisha had achieved 85 per cent vaccination coverage in the first phase till Saturday. Since the state failed to achieve 100 per cent COVID-19 vaccination coverage, the Centre extended the deadline for the completion of the first dose vaccination of all healthcare workers. Over four lakh mark beneficiaries have received the vaccination in the first phase of the immunisation drive.