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Our Correspondent
Kohima, May 18 (EMN): The vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group appears to be receiving a positive response across Nagaland as 7,298 individuals have received their first dose in the first two days of the exercise.
Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom launched the state-wide vaccination drive, free of cost, for the 18-44 age group on Monday.
Out of 3700 target beneficiaries, 3029 were administered (81.86%) with the first dose from 24 sites on the day of launch.
At Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC), Porterlane in Kohima town, beneficiaries were seen standing in a queue as they waited for their turn to receive the jab when Eastern Mirror visited the site on Tuesday. Out of 200 allotted beneficiaries, 196 received their first dose at the centre.
Dr. Ruokuozhalhou Linyu, who is posted as Medical Officer at UPHC Porterlane, told this newspaper that beneficiary turn-up was "amazing". He said that allotted doses were administered within the first few hours on the day of launch as a good number of takers turned up.
The health centre was allotted with hundred doses on day-one but was increased to 200 on second day.
Citing possible reasons for the positive response among beneficiaries, Linyu said that ‘it might be due to fear caused by spike in Covid-positive cases in the state on a daily basis’.
“Further, these age groups trust the efficacy of Covishield and have better knowledge about Covid-19 vaccine unlike 45+ beneficiaries. Efficacy of Covishield is quite good and shows less side effects compared to Covaxin,” he added.
“So far, no serious cases have been reported during the observation period and the vaccination drive is running smoothly,” he said.
Monday and Tuesday of every week have been set aside to administer vaccines to the 18-44 age group. Meanwhile, 45+ can avail the vaccine from Monday to Thursday.
Administering of vaccine starts from 9 am onwards till doses get exhausted, Linyu informed.
The beneficiaries, he said, come from different locations across the district, including non-Nagas residing in Kohima.
He further informed that they were not administering vaccines to those who were tested positive for Covid, whose test result is awaited and those under isolation.
The vaccine is being administered to those who have already registered in the CoWin portal earlier. Spot registration is not entertained.
As many as 2,49,579 beneficiaries have been administered with Covid vaccine in Nagaland till date, according to state Health department data.
As per data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 1, 20, 343 Covid vaccines are available with the state until May 17, while 30, 220 are in the pipeline and would be received by the state in the next few days.
New booking on Wednesday
Meanwhile, the department of Health and Family Welfare has informed the public that vaccination for 24-44 age group for next week will be held across the state on May 24 (6350 doses) and the 25th (7050).
It informed that the portal will be activated at 9 am on Wednesday, May 19, for booking at various Covid-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) across the state. However, it added that the slots have all been booked in Kohima Mon and Longleng.