Get vaccinated if eligible: Dr Shyamjai
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 13 2021:
State Mission Director, National Health Mission, Dr N Shyamjai has appealed to all health care and frontline workers who are eligible for second dose of Covid vaccine to get vaccinated without hesitation.
The State Mission Director made the appeal via a video message.
In his message, Dr Shyamjai remarked that Covid vaccination programme for Manipur was launched on January 16 and more than 4 lakh 64 thousand people including health care workers, frontline workers, people falling within age groups of 18-44 and above 45 years, have been vaccinated against the virus as the programme entered the 149th day.
Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, MBBS students and nursing students were given priority and covered in the first batch of vaccination programme in the State before frontline workers- police personnel, VDF personnel, Central Armed Forces personnel etc, were covered in the second batch, he said.
Vaccination for citizens belonging to 45 and above age group were vaccinated after the coverage of healthcare workers and subsequently vaccination drive for 18-44 age group was launched from May 17 onwards.
Earlier, the prescribed gap between vaccine doses was 4 weeks, he said while adding that the gap was stretched to 6 and 8 weeks from the date of receiving the first dose for the second time before a new directive was issued to further stretch the gap (12 to 16 weeks from the day of first dose).
Issuance of subsequent directives in respect of gap between Covid vaccine doses had caused much confusion among healthcare workers and frontline workers despite clarifications on the part of the State Mission, National Health Mission through media, he said.
As such, it is strongly advised to all healthcare and frontline workers to get a second dose of the vaccine if they are eligible (12 and 16 weeks after receiving the first dose), he said.
He further asserted that there are also separate guidelines for vaccinating Olympic bound athletes or students seeking education abroad (gap between doses: 28 days) and not to get confused with it.