Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, July 7: To remain prepared and to ensure effective vaccination coverage in case the Government decided to reopen colleges and schools, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) today started a special vaccination for the teaching and non-teaching staff of colleges.
The maiden drive was carried out at the Amar Singh College where at least 300 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered to several members of teaching staff and non-teaching staff of various colleges.
Officials told Excelsior that the basic motive of the special drive is that Government might think of reopening the colleges and schools across Kashmir in the coming days and in that connection, the department had written to the higher authorities regulating the functioning of the colleges and schools, asking them to convey the dates about vaccinating the staff as well as the eligible students.
Dr Mir Mushtaq DHSK’s spokesperson told Excelsior that it was in that connection that a special drive was carried out at Amar Singh College. “In the first session today around 250 doses were given; the numbers might go up as the vaccination continues as of now,” he said.
Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather told Excelsior that there is a need for getting the staff and eligible students vaccinated ahead of the possible reopening of education institutions.
“The drive will be carried out in other districts as well in coming days. At present, we are aiming that the staff and others should go vaccinated as and when the educational institutions are reopened,” he said.
Officials further said that there will be a different arrangement for the schools as well and for that, they are in touch with the Directorate office.
In this regard, the Directorate office has designated few nodal officers as well and the drive to cover the schools is expected to kick start in the coming days.
They said that the Directorate office is working on it and special drives will be carried to cover the staff of the schools across Kashmir.
“We are aiming at getting more and more people vaccinated and once teachers are vaccinated, they encourage others to come forward and get vaccinated. At the same time everyone wants that the educational institutions must be reopened and for that, the vaccination will be a facilitator,” the spokesperson said.
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