JOIN USOver 1.25 lakh kids in 15-18 age group to be inoculated in Dakshina Kannada
More than 1.25 lakh children in the age group of 15 to 18 will be administered Covid-19 vaccines in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district, Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V said on Monday.
The target is to vaccinate 1,01,549 adolescents in the district. However, there are a large number of students from outside the district pursuing their studies in the district. Hence, the district administration and health department have taken measures to inoculate more than 1.25 lakh children in the age group, he said during the vaccination programme organised for the children at Government PU College at Car Street in Mangaluru.
The testing of samples for Covid-19 will be increased to 15,000 in the district. The testing will be carried out in college campuses, APMC premises, markets and other areas, he said and called upon the people to cooperate with the health officials.
Traders should ensure all the consumers wear masks and possess vaccination certificates when they visit the shops. The severity of the Covid-19 is mild on those who have been inoculated. As a result, the dependence on hospitalisation, need for ventilators and ICUs will be reduced.
No vaccination-related fatality has been reported in the district. Students should not panic over mild side effects like fever and body ache. Parents and teachers should also ward off fear of vaccines in the children, he said.
Dr Rajendra said that the district is self-dependent on the generation of oxygen required for the wards in the hospitals. Only liquid medical oxygen for ICU beds are procured from outside.
Though nine cases of Omicron were reported in Dakshina Kannada, two cases are undergoing treatment in Bengaluru, while seven cases had mild symptoms. The Omicron transmission is fast compared to other variants, he explained.
The students who have been inoculated should create awareness in their surroundings on the need to get the jab, added the DC.
Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that there is no shortage of ventilators and oxygen in the district. Dakshina Kannada district has 16 oxygen generation plants even in community health centres, taluk hospitals and district hospital. Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru has 103 ventilators.
He cautioned people to observe all precautions and don't let the guard down amid the rise in Omicron variant cases in the country.
About 94% of the targeted beneficiaries have been administered with the first dose and 80% with the second dose in Dakshina Kannada. Over 1 lakh targeted beneficiaries are yet to be administered with vaccines in the district.
MLA D Vedavyasa Kamath called upon the people to cooperate with the district administration and health department in containing the spread of Covid-19 by strictly adhering to the guidelines.
Lab at Sullia Medical College
The Deputy Commissioner also said that lab at a medical college in Sullia will be used for conducting tests of the samples collected from Puttur, Kadaba, Sullia and Belthangady.
The kits required for the testing will be supplied by the district administration and steps will be taken to give the results within 24 hours at Sullia Medical College lab.
Check out latest coronavirus-related videos from DH: