The State government is taking abundant caution in ensuring adequate stocks of the COVID-19 vaccine dosages so that all beneficiaries could take their second dose on the 28th day as per the protocol, said Health Secretary, J. Radhakrishnan in Madurai on Saturday.
A total of 6.83 lakh health workers and frontline workers have registered for the vaccination drive till date. Among them, 4.96 lakh are from the health department, 1.07 lakh from the police department and 79,820 from local bodies.
The Health Secretary said that adequate stocks for the second round would be ensured so that the workers get their second dose on time. The Centre has promised to increase the supply of vaccines, he added. The State government has a stock of 5,56,500 dosages as of now.
“Taking the vaccine is purely on a voluntary basis and we are not compelling anyone to take the shots,” he told journalists. Mr. Radhakrishnan said that he himself has registered his name for vaccination as the public healthcare administrator. “But the priority now is being given only for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers,” he added.
The Centre is procuring the vaccines and the State government is supplying them through government hospitals. As of now, the vaccines were not available for sale in the open market, he said
K. Senthil, president of Tamil Nadu Government Doctor’s Association, who took the first dose of vaccine, said that he felt that the COVID-19 vaccine was safe. “Given an option, I would have opted for either of the vaccines (Covishield or Covaxin),” he said.
J.A Jayalal, national president of the Indian Medical Association, who also volunteered to vaccinate at the GRH, said that the vaccines were 100% safe and efficient. “As a doctor, it is very important to use (to safeguard ourselves from the infection),” he said. All the IMA members would get vaccinated, he said. “It is only public perception that the vaccines were not safe,” he said.
Another doctor, P. Ramakrishnan said that both the vaccines available in India are safe. He said the doctors have vaccinated themselves only to tell the people about the safety of the vaccines.
Some of the housekeeping workers at the GRH said that they were told about the safety of vaccinating themselves. “We do not have any fear. The matron has explained to us about the need for vaccination as we are working very closely with the COVID-19 infected patients,” said K. Kalaiselvi.
