Panchkula to roll out vaccine for 18+ with lone session today
Amit Bathla
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, May 1
The district today received only 14,000 doses of Covishield to start vaccination of people in the 18-44 age group from tomorrow. However, only one session at Government Polyclinic in Sector 26 will be conducted on the first day of the rollout.
Dr Meenu Sasan, District Immunisation Officer, said they would start vaccination for the 18-plus tomorrow. “We will begin with only one session at Government Polyclinic, Sector 26. Only those with online appointment will be vaccinated,” she added.
The original plan was to rollout the vaccination of 18-plus from May 1. The Health Department had earlier decided to defer the rollout to May 3 and had suspended the vaccination during weekend lockdown.
After state Health Minister Anil Vij this evening announced the rollout in all districts from tomorrow, the local Health Department changed its decision and decided to start vaccination by tomorrow itself.
Vaccine aspirants turn up at centres
Although the Health Department had announced that no vaccination would be carried out during the weekend lockdown and deferred the next phase of vaccine rollout to May 3, many people in the 18-45 age group turned up at vaccination centres in the hope of getting their first jab amid the rising coronavirus cases. They, however, had to return disappointed.
At the centres, the Health Department had put up posters to inform the public about the suspension of vaccination on Saturday and Sunday in view of the lockdown.
Abhishek (36), who visited the dispensary in Sector 12-A around 1 pm to receive his first dose, said he didn’t know about the deferment of the vaccine rollout to May 3.
“Young people who have to step out of their houses for work have more chances of contracting the virus. They can subsequently infect elderly persons close to them. Hence, I shall suggest people to take vaccine to ensure the safety of not only themselves, but also their loved ones,” he said.
Another person in his 30s, who visited the same centre, was told to come again on Monday by a security official.
