VIJAYAWADA: With no adverse health incidents being witnessed among those taking Covid-19 vaccine from March 1 under Phase 3, more number of targeted people are expected to turn up for the jab in Andhra Pradesh.
State health authorities are now administering the first dose of vaccine to new category of people involving those aged over 60 years, apart from people aged between 45–49 years with multiple health complications. In addition, healthcare and frontline workers, who had missed their either first or second dose of vaccine, are also being immunised.
From March 1 to 5, health personnel have so far administered Coronavirus vaccine to 1,12,115 persons in the state. Among them, 24,863 got their second dose. The number of adverse events following vaccination (AEFV) reported, that too minor in nature, have been just two till now.
Authorities maintain that vaccination is unlike the first and second phases of Covid-19 vaccination programme, when two deaths in addition to few cases of severe health complications had been reported.
The third phase of immunisation is going on without any major health issues among beneficiaries. However, no specific reason is being attributed to this phenomenon.
But health authorities are optimistic that this will help more number of targeted beneficiaries to now turn up for vaccination in a big way.
For example, a 103-year-old woman Veeramma from Guntupalli village of Ballikurava mandal in Prakasam district turned up for Covid-19 vaccination at a local PHC on Wednesday. She developed no adverse effects post immunisation. Similarly, Alla Sriharamma (91) from Inkollu village of J. Panguluru mandal in Prakasam district took the vaccination without any complication.
Prakasam district medical and health officer Dr. P. Ratnavali said, “At a time when a section of healthcare and frontline workers are hesitating, these aged women are serving as role models for people to turn up for vaccination and protect themselves. We are also undertaking door-to-door campaigns involving ANMs to identify especially aged persons for immunisation, in addition to those suffering with multiple health issues.”
Meanwhile, state health authorities have advised targeted people to register for their vaccination at the 1,284 government hospitals as also 553 private hospitals linked with YSR Aarogyasri scheme.
Health director Dr. T. Geetha Prasadini said, “We are not receiving any reports of adverse effects during Phase 3 of Covid-19 vaccination. We have come across only two minor cases throughout the state, even though Covid Vaccination Centre managers have been calling up beneficiaries to inquire about their health. As a result, we are expecting more number of targeted people to turn up voluntarily for vaccination,” she added.
