Special vaccination drive for 18-44 group begins across JK
Srinagar, May 25:The government on Tuesday began a special vaccination drive for the 18-44 age category in eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Director NHM (J&K) Mohammad Yaseen Choudhary said that 41,423 people were vaccinated on Tuesday, which includes 20,237 people from the vulnerable 18-44 age group.
“In total 30,25,745 have been vaccinated till date across Jammu and Kashmir. Around 67.14 percent of the above 45 age group have been inoculated,” he said.
The decision to start the vaccination drive in eight districts, having the highest disease caseload and positivity ratio, was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary (CS), B V R Subrahmanyam.
State Immunisation Officer Dr Shahid Hussain said after Srinagar and Jammu, the vaccination drive for 18-44 age group was started in six more districts.
The districts in which the drive was started include Udhampur, Kuthua and Rajouri in Jammu region while as in Kashmir division, the drive was started in Anantnag, Baramulla and Budgam.
Hussain said the vaccine is now available in good quantity.
The first vaccination drive was started in Jammu and Kashmir on January 16 for health care workers, which was later extended to all above 45 years of age.
In Srinagar, district court complex Mominabad Batamaloo, regional transport office, Mader-e-Meharban Trust, Miskeen Bagh, Indoor Stadium, Press Enclave were some of the places where the vaccination process was carried out.
The beneficiaries who were inoculated Covid-19 vaccine shots today include shopkeepers, Shikara wallas, hotel staff, street vendors, services sector, barbers, bakers, meat/poultry/ vegetable sellers, drivers/ conductors, lawyers, journalists; faculty /staff/workers of the universities/colleges, government employees on Covid duty/or in active field, construction workers registered with construction workers board, tourism sector workers, people with disabilities, widows/single mothers, orphans, and persons with comorbid conditions.
Meanwhile, the Information Department has been directed to organise similar vaccination drives for journalists at twin Directorates of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
