Elderly people to get COVID jab from March 1 in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: COVID-19  vaccination of elderly people aged above 50 years will commence in Odisha from March 1, informed Jayant Panda, Technical Adviser to the state Government on COVID-19.

After receiving the second dose of the vaccine, Panda, Head (Medicine) at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, today said,” I feel completely same after taking the second jab. I am sure that I will have antibodies to fight against the virus in future,”

“Though we have  good control over the pandemic, it is still advisable to take complete dose of the vaccine to boost our immunity. Since there is fear of mutant strain of the virus,  it is always wise to get vaccinated as soon as possible,” he added.

Meanwhile, timeline for first dose of the vaccination for remaining healthcare workers in the State has been extended till February 25. The state had achieved 84.9 % vaccination coverage of healthcare workers and 60.9 % of frontline workers in the first phase till February 13. As the districts could not achieved 100 per cent coverage of the first phase vaccination, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry extended the deadline for the same.

Earlier, the first phase vaccination, which was supposed to conclude on February 10, was extended to February 13.

The State government has directed Collectors, Municipal Commissioners and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers to closely monitor the vaccination drive and ensure all registered left-out beneficiaries are given the opportunity to at least get vaccinated twice.

Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said all districts were supposed to achieve 100 per cent coverage of first dose vaccination of healthcare workers.

The districts have been asked to convey the message to the remaining beneficiaries during session scheduling, he said and urged the workers to come forward and get vaccinated. Meanwhile, Odisha crossed the 80 lakh milestone in testing for Covid-19.