Jamshedpur opens vaccine window for foreign-bound people
JAMSHEDPUR: The Jamshedpur district administration has started a special Covid-19 vaccination window for foreignbound students and workers, people returning to Jharkhand after taking the first jab in other states and people going to other states for treatment, officials said on Wednesday.
“We have started a vaccination window at Project Director Integrated Tribal Development Agency (PDITDA) for people falling in four categories. People studying abroad, working in foreign countries, people going to other states for treatment and people who took the first dose in other states and need the second dose here in the district or our state. We received 88 applications for the same and 18 were inoculated Tuesday,” Suraj Kumar, East Singhbhum (Jamshedpur) deputy commissioner (DC), said.
The DC said foreign-bound people are being given WHOapproved Covishield vaccine, for which the 84-day period gap between the first and second doses has been relaxed to 28 days.
“We are trying to achieve full vaccination in the district and we are number one in terms of vaccinating 45-plus people, with 46% such people already vaccinated. Besides, 60% people above the age of 60 years have been vaccinated in the district so far. This is far above the state and national average. We are expecting 14,500 doses of Covaxin to cover more 45-plus people soon,” added Kumar.
Meanwhile, vaccination of people in the age group of 18-44 years will also start without online slot booking in the district from Friday, the DC said.
The district, however, was struggling with shortage of vaccines. As per officials, It was left with 50 doses of Covaxin and 2,320 doses of Covishield for 45-plus people, while 50 doses of Covaxin and 1,060 doses of Covishield for 18-44 year group on Tuesday.
“We received 900 doses of Covaxin for 18-44 year group Wednesday. Moreover, 700 doses of Covaxin were also available for 45-plus people at vaccination centres of Red Cross, Tarun Sangha (Kadma), and MGMMCH,” said Kumar.