COVID-19 Vaccination Suspended During Weekends In 10 Odisha Dists

Bhubaneswar: The COVID-19 vaccination drive will remain suspended on weekends, Saturday  and Sunday, in 10 Odisha districts bordering Chhattisgarh.

The decision has been taken in view of the weekend shutdown announced by the government following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare PK Mohapatra has written to Collectors and municipal commissioners of the 10 districts in this regard.

Weekend shutdown has been imposed in urban areas of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri districts from April 17.

The notification reads: “In the interest of public health and containment of spread of COVID-19 in the state, weekend shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays has been imposed in all urban areas of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri w.e.f from 17 April 2021. In the above circumstances, you are requested to cancel COVID-19 vaccination in all urban areas during weekends (Saturday and Sunday) in your district till further order.”

However, the vaccination will continue as scheduled in other areas of the districts, he added.