Government officials who rushed to get their vaccinations, claiming that they had been assigned for poll duty, caused a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine in a few districts in Kerala on Sunday. The shortage of vaccines affected walk-in programmes at Thiruvananthapuram, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.
Those who rushed for the vaccine included IAS officials and their families who got the shot, defying government guidelines. According to reports, though the Health Department had objected to this, there was influence from top officials to provide vaccines for these officials. Many of the officials, including some who were not assigned poll duty, were reported to have walked into the vaccination centres with their families and friends, to take the vaccination. This resulted in the shortage, Times of India reported, quoting a Health Department official.
As per the guidelines by the Union government for the second phase of vaccination, frontline workers, those who are aged above 60 and those above 45 and having comorbidities can be vaccinated.
Four states in the country, Kerala, Assam, Bengal and Tamil Nadu and Union Territory Puducherry will go to polls in different phases in April. Kerala will go to the polls on April 6. Meanwhile Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Navjot Khosa issued guidelines on Sunday that vaccination will be provided through 61 government centres and 29 private hospitals in the district.
Vaccination will be provided through spot registration at the Jimmy George stadium in the city from 10 am to 3 pm in three sessions while in the General Hospital and District Hospitals, vaccination will be provided for 200 persons each per day.
While 150 persons can be vaccinated in Community Health Centres, 100 persons can be vaccinated in primary health centres. All necessary steps will be taken to vaccinate those who are above 60 years of age and between the ages of 45 and 59 with comorbidities, the Collector said in a statement.