States rush to complete frontline worker surveys ahead of vaccination drive

Also wait for instructions from the Centre on the second phase of the drive

Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the first phase of the nationwide inoculation drive on Saturday, states are rushing to complete surveys of frontline workers ahead of the January 25 deadline set by the Centre.

Moreover, government officials have indicated that it might take another five months to inoculate citizens aged over 50 who have comorbidities (in the later phase). Until then, vaccines would not be available for the general public.

Health care workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of India’s Covid-19 inoculation drive, followed by other frontline workers, including police officials and administrative staff, among others. The second phase will entail vaccination of people aged above 50 as well as those below 50 but with comorbidities.

The survey for enumerating health care workers was largely completed by January 12, based on the deadline set by the Centre. However, now states are not only rushing to survey other frontline workers, but are awaiting instructions from the Centre on the second phase of the drive.

“We are scrambling with the survey of vaccine recipients. While listing out health care workers was relatively easy, though the survey went on till the last day, surveys for frontline workers as well as the second phase are tougher. With limited staff at smaller centres like ours, we are burning the midnight oil to meet the deadline,” said a medical officer at an urban health centre (UHC) in Gujarat.

“While surveys for the second phase recipients have begun at multiple places, we are yet to receive guidelines from the Centre on the same. Given that 100 people need to be inoculated daily, it will be an uphill task and the sooner the guidelines come the better,” said an official in Gujarat.

In all, over one million people, including health care and frontline workers, will get vaccinated in Gujarat. While house-to-house surveys are still on at some places, about 10 million people aged above 50 and 275,000 people aged below 50 but with comorbidities have been identified for vaccination.

In Maharashtra, around 780,000 health care workers have registered. These combine both government and private sector workers. Around 290,000 frontline workers have registered too.

The state has received 960,000 doses of Covishield vaccine, made by Serum Institute of India and only around 20,000 doses of Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech. The state is preparing a list of people with comorbid conditions.

A senior official said that it is likely to take at least five months to vaccinate beneficiaries.

According to Laxman Singh Ola, who heads the inoculation programme in Rajasthan, around 487,000 health care workers have been surveyed and are ready for inoculation. “The survey for other phases are on and we will follow the Centre’s guidelines on the same,” said Ola, while adding that survey for frontline workers was still on.

Friday also saw last-minute video conferences by states ahead of the launch of the vaccination drive on Saturday. Earlier, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had also shared precautions and contraindications for Covid-19 vaccination to the states and union territories.

The ministry has also advised that the Covid vaccines are not interchangeable, and the second dose should also be of the same company. As such, the inoculation drive includes a second booster dose to be administered to recipients after 28 days.

Contraindications also include avoiding administering the Covid vaccine to persons with a history of anaphylactic or allergic reaction, pregnant and lactating women, as well as persons having active symptoms of Covid-19 infection.