First phase of Covid vaccine drive for Children kicks-off in HP: 40,000 students to have first dose in Shimla district

 Shimla, Jan 3

The first phase for the special drive of Covid vaccine for students between ninth to 12 Standard who have attained the age of 15 to 18yrs has got kicked off from today onward in all the 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh, would continue till Jan 15. Chief Medical Officer of Shimla district Dr Surekha Chopra said that 40,000 students are targeted to be administered vaccine and four staff members of schools and hospitals would be deployed in the each schools which have been made vaccination centres.

She said that there are as many as 3,57,450 students who fall under this category are enrolled in private and government schools of the state. The Senior Secondary and High Schools are made vaccination centre for the first dose of vaccine. 2^nd dose of vaccination would be provided after 28 days to the students.

State hospitals already received 2.80 lakh doses of Covid vaccine from the Centre. Vaccine

dose have already been received by the district CMOs from the NRHM directorate. State health officials confirmed that if there would be no shortage of vaccine as centre has assured more doses of Covid vaccination for the special drive. Beside these beneficiaries could register them off on the site to get the vaccine administered.

She said that two staff members of hospital would carry safety kits along and 108 ambulances would be deployed in case of adverse impact of vaccination on the students.

The health department to begin an immunity drive has deployed more than 400 staff members. The students would have the prescribed dose and vaccination would be voluntary. She said that currently Shimla schools are on winter vacation and they could not predict the expected vaccination.

CMO said that information received from 21 blocks of district Shimla there are total 49330 students who are registered in Private and State Government educational institutions between 9th to 12 standard. As 33,442 students are enrolled in State owned schools and 15888 in private schools.

In the district as many as 6983 students are enrolled in 9th standard of Government schools and 5213 in Pvt Schools, 7143 and 5124 in 10^th class, 10519 and 2844 in 11^th, and 8797 and 2707 in 12 th class  respectively.

In Shimla subdivision 5277 children are  eligible for the  1^st dose in Schools, 2563 in Rampur 2364 in Nerwa, 2124 in Rohru, 1992 and 1960 in Sunni and Theog block and 1921 in Mashorba block. In rest of the blocks number of students varies from 422 (DodraKawar) to 1500 (Chopal). She said that in all the 21 blocks one  program officer each were deployed who would start the first phase of vaccination in more than 400 schools of the district.