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Telangana’s vaccine drive for foreign-bound students gains pace

Authorities administer first dose to 1,400 students on Tuesday; second dose in 30 days

By M. Sai Gopal

Updated On - 9 June 2021, 12:20 AM

Telangana’s vaccine drive for foreign-bound students gains pace — Students travelling abroad for higher studies wait for their turn at the IPM, in Narayanguda, Hyderabad on Tuesday. — Photo: PTI

Hyderabad: The State government’s initiative to administer Covid-19 vaccines to around 8,000 students from Telangana, who are to fly abroad for higher education in the coming months, is expected to be completed by June 11. On Tuesday, the health authorities at Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Narayanaguda, which was identified as the nodal agency to administer Covid vaccines for such students, administered the first dose of Covid vaccine to 1,400 students. On Monday, which was the first day of the special vaccination drive, about 700 students were inoculated.

Students who have received the first dose of Covid vaccine at IPM have to be administered with the second dose within a span of 30 days. With nearly 8,000 students set to fly abroad by July-August, there was a need to complete the vaccination drive at the earliest. As a result, authorities have decided to double up their efforts and thus vaccinated 1,400 students on Tuesday.

After receiving the two doses of Covid vaccine, students will receive a digital vaccination certificate, which must be submitted to their respective universities abroad. Director, IPM, Dr K Shankar said, “All-out efforts are on to complete the special drive by Friday because the students need to wait for a month to get their second Covid dose. Only Covishield vaccine is being administered to students.”

To expedite the vaccination process, especially the digital data entry work, health authorities have also procured required computer equipment. Nurses and other support staff from Fever Hospital, Nallakunta, were deputed to the IPM so that the vaccination could be completed at the earliest. The data entry, which involves accurately entering the names and other details of the students, on the website takes a lot of time. The team at IPM is also involved in noting down details of passport, visa, and other documents of the students.

“Even a small spelling mistake in the digital certificate issued to the student will be rejected by the foreign university. That is why each application of the student is being double checked. Their age, passport numbers, visa and travel documents are also thoroughly checked and noted down before registering them for the vaccination. Due to their young age, students do not have to wait for more time after getting vaccinated, as chances of them having adverse reactions to vaccines is less,” the senior health official said.

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