Vaccination camps for lactating women

June 20, 2021 08:33 pm | Updated 08:34 pm IST

A postnatal lactating woman being administered COVID-19 vaccine in Tiruchi on Sunday.

A postnatal lactating woman being administered COVID-19 vaccine in Tiruchi on Sunday.

TIRUCHI

The Tiruchi district administration has made arrangements to inoculate postnatal mothers after an official communication from the State came out with guidelines on administering COVID-19 vaccine. The Directorate of Public Health has drawn up a plan to organize special camps, and also reserve doses for post-natal and lactating mothers.

Following the delivery of a new consignment of COVID-19 vaccines to the district, 1,000 doses of the vaccine were given to 14 blocks in the district. Of that, 200 doses are to be reserved for postnatal and lactating mothers.

Meanwhile, at the 18 Urban Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), 1,000 doses have been reserved, at the rate of 50 per PHC. At the Tiruchi GH, 500 doses have been reserved for post-natal and lactating mothers. All other GHs in the district, too, have been allotted their share of vaccines.

Speaking to The Hindu , M.D. Hakkim, Emergency Physician, who has been monitoring the inoculation of the vaccine, said that the PHCs have a line list of the contacts of all pregnant mothers.

According to the communication from the Director of Public Health, mothers who had been delivered of babies between December 2020 to May 2021 would qualify for the vaccination.

"The health workers at the PHCs have been contacting these women and informing them of the availability of the vaccine. The health workers also give them awareness on the importance of the vaccine for their safety and that of their children," Dr. Hakkim said.

A senior health official in Tiruchi said that since the inoculation of the general public has been shifted to government schools and college campuses, the PHCs and GHs are free to inoculate these mothers safely.

"There is a misconception that post-natal and lactating mothers must not take the vaccine. The vaccine is safe for them and they must do it after consulting the doctor at the PHC," he said.

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