Second phase of Covid-19 vaccination to begin from today in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: Deputy Chief Minister and health minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas announced here on Tuesday that the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination from Wednesday would see frontline workers from panchayat raj, municipal administration and revenue department getting the jab.

He told the media that so far, 5.90 lakh persons have registered for the vaccination via Co-WIN app while 3,181 session sites were ready to give the jabs. Referring to the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the DyCM said though they had targeted 3,88,307 healthcare workers for the jabs, so far they could administer it to only 1,89,890. This showed a success rate of 48.90 per cent.

Some doctors and health staff were hesitant about taking the jab, the minister said and added that all those who faced any reactions to the jabs would be taken full care of. Referring to the death of an Asha worker after taking the Covid-19 shot in Guntur, he said Rs 50 lakh was given to her family members as relief. “We are yet to get full report of her post mortem to find out the exact reason for the death.”

With regard to dentist Dr Dhana Lakshmi who developed health complications after taking the vaccine at Ongole, the minister said she was admitted to the Apollo hospital in Chennai and her condition was stable.

Health principal secretary Anil Kumar Singhal said they were having 16.31 lakh doses of the vaccine in the state.

Referring to the mystery illness in Godavari districts, the Dy CM said that nearly 600 persons were affected with it since Dec. 5, 2020, in Eluru in West Godavari. Based on directions from the chief minister, the state government initiated healthcare for the victims and also contained further spread of the illness.

He said that a 21-member committee has been constituted and samples of water, milk, vegetables, crops, food items etc were sent for analysis to labs. Test reports from several labs were submitted to the state government and accordingly, the government was taking measures to check the recurrence of such illnesses.

Health secretary Anil Kumar Singhal said that 13 institutions including AIIMS, CCMB and NIMS were called in to investigate the cause for the mystery illnesses but they could not identify any reason.

However, the NIMS report mentioned about the presence of triazophos while others noticed presence of residues of lead and nickel in the blood and urine samples of the victims. Some others said they could not notice presence of any bacteria or virus in the samples, he added.

He said the health department would take up a study on how metals were getting mixed with food items in Godavari districts. He said there is the need to promote organic farming.