A Sanitation Worker Likely To Get First COVID-19 Vaccine In Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: The first dose of COVID-19 vaccine is likely to be given to a cleanliness worker in Madhya Pradesh on January 16 as a mark of respect for services rendered by sanitation workers during the pandemic, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan indicated on Thursday (January 14). Chouhan described the COVID-19 vaccine as a ‘sanjeevni buti’ (life-saving drug). The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive will begin at 9 AM on January 16 and healthcare professionals and frontline workers will be covered in the first phase.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak Explained: What Is mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Technology Used By Pfizer-BioNTech And Moderna?

Attempts are being made to give the first dose of vaccine to a cleanliness worker as a mark of respect for services they have rendered to people during the coronavirus crisis, CM Chouhan said. Vaccine has arrived for prevention of coronavirus which is not less than a sanjeevni buti (life-saving drug) and citizens will get its benefit in phases and in a particular order, he said.

The CM was talking to commissioners and collectors through video-conferencing after inaugurating a new National Health Mission (NHM) building constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 24.72 crore. In the first phase, nearly 4.24 lakh vaccine doses will be administered to healthcare workers who have played a major role in saving the lives of people, he said. Both vaccines Covishield (made by Pune’s Serum Institute) and Covaxin (developed & manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech are totally safe.

I call upon district officials, people’s representatives and the media to ensure no misleading information about the two vaccines is allowed to spread and urge them to cooperate in making this grand campaign successful. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his farsightedness. He identified the crisis beforehand and constituted a task force soon after the coronavirus outbreak. Because of timely lockdown, we got time to make all necessary arrangements to ensure the virus does not go out of control in the state. The Centre has confirmed the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and every citizen will get two doses. After 28 days of the first dose, the second shot will be given. Anti-bodies will start forming after 14 days of the second dose. The vaccine won’t become effective immediately, Mr. Chouhan said.

District-wise allotment of vaccine doses has been done. Besides government hospitals, private ones, too, will be part of the drive, he said. As per vaccination protocols, frontline workers, including policemen and revenue employees, will be given priority, the chief minister said.

Health minister Dr Prabhuram Choudhary and medical education minister Vishwas Sarang were also present in the meeting. Earlier, health officials informed that in the first phase, health professionals and in the second round frontline workers will be vaccinated. The third phase will be for citizens who are more than50 years of age and also those who are less than 50 but suffer from diseases like diabetes and high BP. They informed that the state has got over five lakh vaccine doses and they will be administered to 2.25 lakh healthcare workers in the next four weeks.

Also Read: One Day To Go For India’s Massive COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout, Centre Sends Rulebook To States

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.