Vijayawada: The state government has decided to shortly take up Covid-19 vaccination for nearly four lakh pregnant women spread over all primary health centres in the state.
Health authorities point out that they have started preparatory work by way of training medical officers at all PHCs on safety norms to be adopted while administering the jab to pregnant women involved in any of the three trimesters.
The medical officers (MOs) are given a set of guidelines on how to go about giving the jab to pregnant women and what was needed to be in case someone develops health problems. A 108 ambulance is to be kept ready at PHCs to take such women to the nearby hospital.
Each PHC has been directed to give the jab to 10 pregnant women in an hour so that 80 women can be covered in a day.
Meanwhile, vaccination is yet to commence for those in the 18-44 age-group even though the Centre okayed it from June 21. A reason for the delay is inadequate supply of vaccine doses.
A senior health official said, “Nearly four lakh pregnant women will be given the jab in a week and all medical officers at PHCs have been trained about the dos and don’ts.”
Vaccination is continuing for healthcare workers, frontline workers, people aged above 45 years with or without comorbidities, those aged above 65 years and mothers with kids aged below five years in a phased manner due to shortage of vaccine doses.
