21k in Delhi get Covid jabs as teens enter fray

0
161

[google-translator]

Nearly 21,000 children in the Capital aged between 15 and 17 were administered a first Covid-19 vaccine dose across 159 centres in the city on the first day of the expanded nation-wide inoculation programme.

Most children who were administered the shot on Monday said they were relieved to have received some level of protection against the coronavirus at a time infections are on the rise in Delhi.

Data from the CoWin dashboard showed that even though the drive, which started at 9am, picked up pace after 10am, when between 2,000 and 3,000 doses were administered every hour.

Delhi government records showed that till 6pm, the maximum number of doses for children was administered in North-East district, with 3,687 teenagers in the 15-17-year age bracket getting the first jab on the first day. At least 2,667 children got their first dose in South-West district, 2,268 children got vaccinated in East Delhi, 2,034 children were vaccinated in New Delhi and 1,956 children got their shots in west Delhi centres.

At south Delhi’s vaccination centres, 1,806 teenagers were given the jabs, while the numbers stood at 1,705 in South-East district, 1,532 in Shahdara, 1,394 in North Delhi, and 1,210 in North-West Delhi. Central district saw the fewest jabs administered on Monday, with 739 teenagers getting their first shot.

Covaxin was administered at all 159 vaccination centres.

Union minister of health and family welfare Mansukh Mandaviya visited the vaccination centre at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Monday to inspect the arrangements. The central government-run Covid hospital had reserved one site exclusively for children, which also had a separate entry and exit in place for children.

The minister also interacted with teenagers at the centre, and urged them to encourage their friends and neighbours to get vaccinated.

“I visited RML hospital today to take stock of the arrangements made to vaccinate children in the 15-18-year-old age group. I also interacted with these children and asked them to encourage their friends to get their shot as well,” Mandaviya tweeted.

Dr Neelam Roy, vaccination centre in-charge at RML, said that the centre had made provisions for 200 online slots, apart from walk-in vaccinations.

“We observed children for 30 minutes after being vaccinated to keep an eye out for any adverse impacts. However, today none of the kids that got vaccinated showed any side effects,” said Dr Roy, who also got her daughter vaccinated at the hospital on Monday.

At Lok Nayak Hospital, the largest Covid hospital in the Capital, special directions were given to vaccination administrators to clear any doubts and hesitation that children or their guardians might have about the vaccines or the process.

“Everything went very smoothly today. Children were excited and parents were also relieved to have their kids protected. Many children were also curious about how the vaccination will protect them,” said Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director, Lok Nayak Hospital.

Most children HT spoke to at vaccination centres in the city said the registration and vaccination process was largely free of hiccups.

“I was looking forward to vaccinations being opened up for people my age. We have been cooped up inside our houses for nearly two years now, with schools being opened only on-and-off. Online classes have not been very helpful,” said Rishvi Rajvanshi (16), a resident of south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.

Fifteen-year-old Srishti Verma, a resident of east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar Phase 1, and her 17-year-old sister Shreya travelled to the vaccination centre with their mother.

“We waited for around 15 minutes to get the shot, and were sent to the observation room. We booked the slot online on Sunday and got the appointment immediately. There was no trouble,” Srishti Verma said.

Parents accompanying their children said the vaccination process was a matter of great relief for them.

“I cannot tell you how anxious we were to get our children vaccinated, especially after the havoc that the second wave wrecked. We lost my father to the virus in May last year and we have seen what this virus can do. As soon as vaccinations for children were announced, we have been on the lookout for registrations. I am glad that my son and my niece got their first doses,” said Arunima Singh, who was accompanying 15-year-old Niha Singh and her son 17-year-old Dhruv Singh to the Kautilya Sarvodaya School in Greater Kailash.

Dr Shikha Srivastava, medical officer at the vaccination centre in the Mayur Vihar Phase 1 Pocket 4, said, “Parents are being asked to wait in the waiting area and only children are being allowed inside the vaccination booths. Children are very motivated. We are specifically asking them if they have eaten something before taking the shot and also if they have any prior medical history or if they are on any medication. As a precaution we have a team of health officials, who are on standby, should any child experience any kind of side-effects. Till 3pm, we had already administered over 300 doses here,” Dr Srivastava said.

Delhi government officials said online registrations will remain open and people can get a slot at the nearest centre for a slot between 9am and 5pm.

“We are equipped to vaccinate as many as 300,000 children every day. We hope that the count will increase in the coming days,” said a senior official of the Delhi health department.


Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here