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Telangana begins vaccinating high risk groups

In all, 7.87 lakh individuals from high risk groups will be vaccinated during the special drive, which will continue for 7-8 days across the state

By Telangana Today

Updated On - 29 May 2021, 12:37 AM

Telangana begins vaccinating high risk groups — A petrol bunk employee gets a dose of Covid vaccine at a vaccination centre in Kukatpally, Hyderabad on Friday. —Photo: Surya Sridhar

Hyderabad: The Telangana State government launched a unique initiative of vaccinating 7.8 lakh persons from high risk groups in the State on Friday as part of its measures to check the spread of Covid-19.

The special vaccination drive covers high risk groups such as workers in LPG agencies, petrol bunks, Fair Price shops, kirana and fertilizer shops, delivery boys and street vendors, among others. Telangana is the only State in the country to have identified these groups as potential spreaders of Covid-19 given the nature of their work.

In fact, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had, in one of the interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pitched for such a special vaccination drive across the country for high risk groups who are serving society and in the process, could themselves be potential spreaders of the virus.

The district administrations across the State have identified people from these high risk groups in their respective jurisdictions and have set up special vaccination centres in function halls and school premises for their vaccination in the next few days.

Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said more than 1.4 lakh people under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Limits will be administered vaccines over the next three days during the special vaccination drive.

The special vaccination drive for high risk groups is being conducted as per the directions of the Chief Minister, he said, adding that 32 centres had been set up in GHMC area which will run for seven days with about 30,000 persons receiving the vaccines daily.

The Chief Secretary visited the Red Rose Function palace and inspected the vaccination centre where the high risk and high exposure people were being given the first dose of vaccination. He said the vaccination centres will start at 8 AM daily and people identified as high risk groups will be given coupons. No walk-ins would be allowed, Somesh Kumar said, and expressed satisfaction at the arrangements made by the GHMC officials for the people who come for vaccination. He also interacted with the people who thanked the government for providing an opportunity to get themselves vaccinated.

Later, the Chief Secretary visited the Press Club at Somajiguda where journalists were getting their jabs. Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, SAM Rizvi, GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar, Hyderabad Collector Sweta Mohanty, Director Public Health Srinivas Rao and other officials were present.