People waiting for the second time from Covaxin face uncertainty in the Chittoor district. Their fears have further heightened as 2,768 COVID-positive cases were counted daily on Saturday, the highest since March last year.
With no Covaxin doses in Chittoor for a week, hundreds of people waiting for the second dose rush to vaccination centers in the community health centers, primary health centers and in the secretariats of villages and communities every day, but in vain.
COVID Task Force officials regretted that there was a major misunderstanding among the people: “Covaxin is more powerful and effective than Covishield, and therefore the high demand for the former has made it unavailable.” People in rural areas seem concerned that “if the second dose of the vaccine is not given within a month, the first dose will be useless”.
A senior doctor complained that there was no coordination between the different wings of the COVID task force in the vaccination centers. “Rather than reassuring those who come for the second dose and advising them of the stab test schedule, some field workers are rude to visitors and add to their concerns by falsely telling them the vaccines are not available,” said the official.
Key staff at the Chittoor Vaccination Centers noted that, given the confusion people had about the second dose, they were doing their best to bring the situation to the node officials. “We have not been able to contact the officer in charge of the vaccination campaign for three days, and his cell phone is always switched off while he is on duty,” said a doctor in the vaccination wing.
Kesav Singh of Jendaman Street in Chittoor City said that like him, hundreds of others waiting for the second dose of Covaxin had to return from the vaccination center without adequate response or clarification from staff.
A government official approaching retirement age and taking the second dose said people who come for either the first or second dose face some kind of embarrassment when the staff at vaccination centers handle things roughly.