Coimbatore: 477 healthcare workers take Covid-19 vaccine

COIMBATORE: The number of people getting vaccinated for Covid-19 almost doubled in a single day, with 477 healthcare workers getting the jab on Monday.
It is a 94 per cent jump compared to the 245 workers, who took the shot on Sunday.
Private doctors seem to be leading the way in the drive by volunteering to take the shot, so that their team members and staff also follow suit.
On day three, nearly 60% of the beneficiaries were from the private sector and 52% of the beneficiaries were doctors.
The number of people vaccinated as on Monday evening stood at 794, with 477 people taking their first dose on Monday.
Off the four centres, Coimbatore Medical College hospital (CMCH) continued to see the largest turnout with 253 healthcare workers getting vaccinated, followed by Pollachi GH which saw 117 people, Nallattipalayam PHC which saw 54 beneficiaries and Mettupalayam Government Hospital which saw 53 beneficiaries.
Doctors, especially from the private sector, continued to be the largest group among the beneficiaries.
On Monday, among the 477 beneficiaries, more than half of them, that is 248 were doctors and 281 (almost 60%) were from the private sector.
“Many doctors, from the private sector, took the vaccine at CMCH, Pollachi GH and Mettupalayam GH,” said joint director of health services Dr Krishna.
“This is due to our extensive canvassing through the Indian Medical Association and also doctors believed that if they take the shot and see no adverse effects their team members, including nurses and paramedical staff, will also follow,” she said.
The day saw well-known city doctors like Gem Hospital chairman Dr C Palanivelu taking to social media and posting photos of him holding the placard stating ‘I got my Covid-19 vaccine.’
He also wrote a short note on how he was perfectly fine after taking the vaccine.
“Corona virus is not going to disappear completely and variants are likely to emerge. How long can we keep ourselves away from normal activities? This vaccination gives protection against variants too,” he stated in his post.
Health department officials on Monday created a large google spreadsheet and did not opt to use the CoWin app.
They also allowed volunteering health workers to walk in with any photo identification to any of the four centres.
A senior health department official said, “All their details, including photograph, will be entered in the google spreadsheet and then we will update the same in the app, by selecting their name if already registered, and click on ‘vaccinated’. Even if they have not yet registered, they can submit their photo id and employment proof and take the vaccine. They will then be registered on the app so that a SMS reminder is sent to them for the second shot.”