A four-day mission to administer the first dose of the Covishield vaccine to residents of the tribal hamlets of Kuttampuzha concluded successfully on Friday.
Called “TRIBVAX”, the drive was jointly executed by health officials in the district, and representatives of the Forest Department, the Kuttampuzha panchayat, and the Family Health Centre at Kuttampuzha.
Of the targeted 3,252 people over the age of 18 in 17 hamlets of Kuttampuzha, the first dose was administered to 2,728 people. As many as 524 people could not take the vaccine, since they were positive for SARS-CoV-2 or they were contacts of those who had tested positive. No adverse events were reported following the immunisation and there was no hesitation among residents to take the shot, said Dr. M.G. Sivadas, nodal officer for immunisation.
The team undertook a long, arduous journey to reach the hamlets, one that they will have to repeat when residents of Kuttampuzha are due for their second shot. In each hamlet, a temporary vaccination site was arranged in conformity wit the COVID protocol.
