GANDHINAGAR: Covid vaccination in Gujarat, which had been halted for a few days due to Cyclone Tauktae, was resumed on Thursday.
On Wednesday night, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that the vaccination operation suspended in the wake of Tauktae would be resumed from Thursday. He stated that 50,000 doses of the Covid vaccine would be administered to people aged between 18 and 45 in the ten cities where vaccinations have begun for the age group. From Thursday onwards, those over the age of 45 who have missed the first dose will also be vaccinated, he added.
Vaccines were administered in 76 urban centres and municipal schools in Ahmedabad, even though drive-through vaccination remained suspended. According to the municipal health department, in addition to the 76 centres, four hospitals – Asarwa Civil Hospital, Trauma Center, Sola Civil Hospital, Nagari Hospital and Shardaben Hospital – were roped in for the vaccination drive.
Only citizens above 45 years of age, healthcare workers and frontline workers were vaccinated at these centres. Citizens between the ages of 18 and 44 were vaccinated on the basis of registration at other centres.
In Surat, 40,000 vaccine doses were made available on Thursday. The Surat Municipal Corporation has a stock of more than 50,000 vaccines. Vaccination is being done at 50 centres for the 18-44 group and at 45 centres for the 45+ category. People in the 18-44 age group were given 100 doses at each centre. All of them were vaccinated on basis of appointments via the Cowin website.
Since the vaccination campaign started in Surat on January 16, an estimated 10.50 lakh people have been vaccinated. 51,000 healthcare workers have taken the first dose and 33,000 have taken the second dose. Meanwhile 1.32 lakh frontliner workers have been given the first dose and 35,000 the second dose. 6 lakh senior citizens have also taken the first dose and 1.36 lakh have taken the second dose. Moreover, more than 50,000 people in the 18-44 age group have taken the first dose.
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation also restarted the vaccination drive on Thursday. Long queues were seen at various health centres throughout the day. 50 centres for people aged 18 to 45 and 25 centres for people over 45 years have been designated as vaccination spots, informed Deputy Health Officer Dr Pankaj Rathod. In the 18-44 category, 150 people will be vaccinated at each centre, while for people above 45, 100-100 individuals will be vaccinated at each centre.
