Valley districts with more caseload see low vaccination
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, May 2: As the vaccination campaign against the COVID-19 went on, the people appeared to have come out of the vaccine hesitancy phase, stepping towards acceptance as the majority of the vaccination sites in Srinagar and elsewhere remained occupied by people of different age groups.
Earlier, the Government had to press the need for vaccination through various mediums; however, there was a sense of insecurity among the masses, but, as of now, the situation on the ground seems to have changed drastically in Kashmir.
A rush of people was witnessed at several vaccination sites in Srinagar today where the people were coming in for walk-in vaccination. Keeping in view the increased rush of people, those intending to get vaccinated were asked to visit other vaccination sites in the area.
At certain places such as Urban Primary Health Centre at Lal Bazar, keeping in view the rush, the people were asked to visit Gousia Hospital, while many (45 and above) were told to get themselves registered.
“There is a lot of rush and as of now we are inoculating only those who have registered themselves and have booked a slot; it is a 50-50 process,” a healthcare worker at the UPHC Lal Bazar said.
The locals who had assembled at various vaccination sites told Excelsior that they are being told that there are a just few slots available per day while demanding that these per day slots must be increased.
“I am roaming around along with my mother since 10 in the morning, there is a rush of people everywhere, and there are just a few slots available; now that people are coming out willingly for vaccination, I think the Government should increase the number of slots; several vaccination sites for both 18-45 age group as well as for 45 upward,” said Shariq Ahmad.
The Health officials at the vaccination sites set up across Srinagar also said that people are now coming out for vaccination in good numbers. “There is a lot of change in the behavior of people and we must acknowledge that,” a doctor supervising a vaccination site in old city Srinagar said.
Meanwhile, while the onus of setting up more vaccination sites, and increasing the slots at the existing vaccination sites lies on the Government, the rate of vaccination in several Kashmir districts that are witnessing a daily uptick in the COVID-19 positive cases is, or have more caseload, is quite low.
In district Srinagar which reported 1084 COVID-19 positive cases on May 1 and had more than 8000 active COVID-19, on April 28, 5800 people were given vaccine jabs, same came down to 1527 on April 29, 1000 jabs on April 30 and just 529 jabs on May 1.
In the case of district Baramulla which reported 309 COVID-19 positive cases on May 1, and had more than 2400 active cases, on April 28, more than 6000 people received their vaccine jabs, the same plunged to 1300 on April 29, 505 on April 30 and just 144 doses on May 1.
Similarly, in district Anantnag, which reported 286 COVID-19 positive cases on May 1, and had more than 1500 active cases, on April 28 more than 4400 people received their vaccine jabs, the same plunged to 1834 on April 29 and just 96 doses on April 30.
In district Budgam, which reported 291 COVID-19 positive cases on May 1 and had more than 1600 active cases, more than 4700 people received their vaccine jabs on April 28, the same plunged to 2300 on April 29, 204 on April 30 and just 20 doses on May 1.
Officials told Excelsior that in the coming days, the situation is going to be better about the vaccination with the increase in the vaccination sites which is going to touch more than 2000 in days.
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