Telangana to vaccinate 2.8 lakh health care workers first

Health Department has uploaded list of all the health care workers in COWIN application

Hyderabad: The Health Department has identified 2.8 lakh health care workers from government and private healthcare establishments who will be the first in Telangana to be administered with Covid-19 vaccine, whenever the vaccine is available for a roll-out in the country.

The first phase of the vaccine roll-out will cover four groups in different stages. The first two groups identified by Union Government for vaccination include healthcare and frontline workers. The third and fourth groups are individuals above 50 years and below 50 years with co-morbid conditions, who are depending on the availability of vaccines will be intimated later by Union government and State government to register their names in the specially designed COWIN application.

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The Health Department has already uploaded the list of all the 2.8 lakh health care workers in the COWIN application while other State government departments including MA&UD and the police are independently registering names of their personnel. The more than 50-year age group is further divided into two sub-groups. One sub-group is 60 years and above, who will be vaccinated first followed by the second sub-group which is between 50 and 60 years age group and vaccinated after the first one is covered.

“We are expecting a combination of Covid vaccines to be available to us through Union government and not just one single vaccine candidate. The first groups to be vaccinated will be healthcare workers and frontline workers. Other groups will be intimated later on when to register themselves through the COWIN app,” says Director of Public Health (DPH) Dr G Srinivasa Rao.

The reason for including persons over 50 years of age and those with comorbid conditions is because of high mortality in this category. Vaccinating this group will be able to cover 78 per cent of persons having co-morbidities and thereby reducing Covid-19 mortality.

“Individuals below 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be asked to prove their pre-existing condition through a medical certificate or in some other form. They will be issued instructions on the modalities of registering themselves in the COWIN application,” said Dr Rao.

Authorities point out that Covid vaccination is voluntary and it is up to the individuals to decide whether they want to get inoculated or wait for some more time. On its part, the Health Ministry has advised individuals to opt for the Covid-19 vaccine.

 

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