Covid vaccination drive resumes full swing after J-K gets fresh stock

With Jammu and Kashmir receiving fresh stock of Covid vaccines, the large-scale vaccination drive in the union territory resumed in full swing.

The fresh consignment of vaccine was procured by the Directorate of Health Services and Government Medical College, Srinagar, after facing an acute shortage.

People flocked to vaccination centres in large numbers to get their jabs after Srinagar witnessed a massive surge in Covid cases during the second wave.

According to Dr Bisma, a resident medical officer at G B Pant Hospital, there was a significant increase in people who want to get vaccinated ever since Srinagar was declared as a 'red zone' due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.

"The response to vaccines initially used to be 40 per cent but now it is 100 per cent," said Dr Bisma.

In the third phase of the vaccination drive, youngsters have also shown up in huge numbers to get innoculated.

"The response has been so good, especially from youngsters, since Srinagar was declared as 'red zone'," she added.

Rouf Lone, a vaccine beneficiary at the hospital also believes that ratio of people willing to take the vaccine has significantly increased.

"Looking at the crowd around, the number has surely increased. Even the numbers which are flashed on official websites of Department of Information and Public Relation, also show a significant increase in the number of vaccinations," said Rouf Lone.

Lone believes "prevention is better than cure."

Vaccine beneficiaries aged 45 years and above are permitted for a walk-in vaccine registration while between the age group of 18-44 years have to register themselves online and book a slot for taking the vaccine against Covid.

A vaccine beneficiary between 18-44 years, Ambreen Anjum said she had registered herself and her family members and brougt them to the inoculation centre.

"After getting myself registered, I got all my family members for getting vaccine jabs," she said.

"Now there is fear among people. In my opinion, everybody should get vaccinated. We do follow other SOPs related to Covid like social distancing and wearing a mask but vaccination is a must right now, without it, there is no other option," she added.

While, Sachin, another resident of Jammu and Kashmir is of the opinion that vaccination will prevent more severe symptoms of Covid infection, as per the reports he has read.

"There is an absolute need for vaccination as per the study which shows it can prevent people from developing more severe symptoms of Covid. Had all of us timely followed the Covid guidelines, then maybe the situation would not have been this panicky," said Sachin, a vaccine beneficiary at the GB Pant hospital.

As per the ground report, people in the union territory are highly satisfied with the systematic implementation of vaccination drives. People were seen wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing at the hospitals while waiting for their turn in queues.

Jammu and Kashmir currently has 45,630 active Covid cases, according to official data released by DIPR, Jammu and Kashmir.

( With inputs from ANI )