Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada administration makes online registration mandatory for vaccination in urban areas

MANGALURU: The Dakshina Kannada district administration, while making online registration for Covid-19 vaccination compulsory for beneficiaries above 45 years in urban areas, has reserved 25% doses for on spot registration exclusively for beneficiaries above 70 years.
A decision in this regard was taken following complaints that tokens issued for vaccination in urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are sold in black market.
Similarly, PHCs in urban areas have been witnessing huge crowds in the wee hours for tokens.
The health department had to inform police to control crowds in many PHCs recently.
Chaos prevailed on Friday too after people thronged many PHCs in urban areas for vaccines without registration.
Deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra told reporters on Friday that all beneficiaries should compulsorily register for vaccine through Cowin app to get inoculated at 12 urban PHCs in Mangaluru city, and urban health centres of Ullal, Bantwal and Puttur.
“Each vaccination centre will administer 75% of its allotted shots to those who registered online. Meanwhile, PHCs will maintain a running register to record the details of people above 70 years and administer 25% of the allotted vaccines to them on priority,” he said.
He said mandatory registration will solve the issue of chaos in front of urban vaccine centres.
The district administration is also planning to introduce mobile vaccine units to increase the vaccine coverage.
Those who received the first dose of Covaxin may avail the second dose at all taluk hospitals and Wenlock District Hospital from Monday.
While the district has administered the first dose of Covaxin to 35,000 beneficiaries, 20,000 have received the second dose, he added.