The Kerala government has announced that those who are bedridden due to various health conditions will be administered the COVID-19 vaccines at their homes. A guideline for the same was issued by Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday. “As part of the state government’s decision to protect bedridden patients from COVID-19, the decision was taken,” Minister Veena said in a statement. The issued guidelines will apply to those above and below 45 years of age.
As part of this special vaccination drive, a separate list of bedridden patients will be made amongst those who have registered for vaccination. Consent will be taken from each such person for vaccination. The vaccination project should be made part of house visits of local bodies, the Health Minister stated. The minister also added that local bodies can seek the help of volunteer groups, if required. This additional help can be sought from officials of family health centres, primary health centres, taluk hospitals etc.
The vaccination may be conducted only by those who are nurses with government-mandated qualifications, and those without the required qualifications will not be allowed to administer the dose. The statement also says that after vaccination, the persons should be monitored for half an hour. “If any emergency situation arises, make sure you get help from doctors of private or government hospitals. E-Sanjeevani (Online medical consultation) services can also be used,” the minister said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that universal immunisation is the best way to build social resistance against COVID-19 at the national level and urged the Union government to provide vaccines against the pandemic free of cost to all states. The state has placed an order for 70 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 30 lakh Covaxin doses through the Kerala Medical Services Corporation, he told the state Assembly.
"The state government is very particular about ensuring free vaccines for all. The Union Government has been strongly informed of this stand," he said while replying to a calling attention motion by Ponnani legislator P Nandakumar on COVID-19 inoculation.
Vijayan said Kerala had requested the Union government to take necessary steps to make the vaccines available free of cost to all in the public interest. It has also been pointed out that if states are competing in the market for the vaccine, it would lead to a hike in its price.
Stating that Kerala had already taken steps to float a global tender to get adequate stocks of vaccine, the Chief Minister said it is the Union government which can take effective steps in this regard. In his recent letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM also mentioned that it would be better for the Centre to call a global tender, Vijayan added.
(With PTI inputs)