COVID vaccination in Delhi: Further dip in healthcare workers' turnout, only 8 get jabs at AIIMS

Updated : January 18, 2021 08:52 PM IST

Nearly 3,600 healthcare workers received the COVID-19 vaccine shots in Delhi on Monday, a further dip in the figures compared to that on opening day of the immunisation drive, with sources saying just eight medical staff got the jabs at AIIMS.

Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on Saturday, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117were administered the vaccines at 81 centres across the city. The sharp fall comes after one severe and 50 minor cases were reported, following the vaccination drive on Saturday.

Various reasons are being attributed to the low turnout, including some technical issues and fears related to adverse events. However, the government has maintained that no case of serious/severe AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) is attributable to vaccination till date.

"On day two, 3,598 people have been administered corona vaccine.AEFI was reported in 26 persons," a senior official of Delhi health department said. One "severe" and 51 "minor" cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported among health workers who were administered the coronavirus vaccine in Delhi on Saturday, according to official figures.

An All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) security guard had developed an allergic reaction after receiving the vaccine. He was kept under observation of doctors, an official had said on Saturday. According to the Union health ministry, 3,111 vaccinations were done in Delhi on Monday till 5.00 pm.

The numbers reported on day two were much lower, a dip of nearly 28 per cent from the corresponding figures on Saturday. According to sources, eight vaccinations were done at AIIMS, 20 in Safdarjung Hospital and 69 healthcare workers were vaccinated at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. Around 45 beneficiaries had turned up at the Safdarjung Hospital but then many of them had comorbidities or are on medication which are contraindicative for vaccination and that is why only 20 could be vaccinated. Messages were sent to 100 healthcare workers, a source said.

As far as eight vaccinations at AIIMS are concerned, an official source said, it was related to multiple factors, including apprehensions of adverse events and late notifications through the Co-WIN app, due to which many people got the information late and were not able to come. "Also, those who had refused on Saturday were again included in the list and they did not turn up again on Monday. Around 20 people had turned up at AIIMS, of which some had fever while others had history of allergies, only eight beneficiaries received the shots," the source said.

At the Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital, only 12 healthcare workers showed up, compared to 32 on day one, as per data shared by official. At Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, the number for Monday stood at 20, nearly half of the figures on day one -- 45, officials said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday had said some people did not turn up for coronavirus vaccination at the last moment, adding that the government cannot ask anyone to compulsorily take the jab. He also said that the number of vaccination centres in Delhi will be increased from 81 to 175 soon.

Jain noted that a similar trend was observed across the country, with around 50 per cent of those registered getting the jabs on the first day. The vaccine is to be administered on four scheduled days of the week -- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It will not be given on Sunday and two others days of the week when other regular vaccination work will be carried out.

So, January 18 was the first working day of the week since the mega exercise was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi across the country. Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield is being administered at 75 centres while Bharat Biotech-made Covaxin doses given at the remaining six facilities.

The city government has received a total of 2.74 lakh doses of the vaccine so far from the Centre, which would be sufficient to cater to 1.2 lakh healthcare workers, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier said. The Delhi government will take measures like counselling and formal phone calls in the coming days to raise the percentage of healthcare workers turning up for being administered COVID-19 vaccines, officials said on Sunday.

COVID vaccination in Delhi: Further dip in healthcare workers' turnout, only 8 get jabs at AIIMS

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