In the second phase of vaccination drive, Jammu and Kashmir police personnel, security forces and other frontline workers will get Covid-19 vaccine from February 4.
The second drive of vaccination would go on simultaneously with the vaccination of healthcare workers which began pan-India on Jan. 16.
J&K Immunization Officer, Dr Qazi Haroon said from the first week of February police personnel, security forces, revenue officials, municipality workers and a select group of panchayat members will be vaccinated. “On Saturday, the health ministry included Panchayat members that were or are part of Covid-19 response,” he said.
According to official figures, nearly 27,000 front line workers have been vaccinated in J&K in the last two weeks. J&K government has prepared a list of two lakh frontline workers that will be given Covid-19 shot beginning Feb 4, Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo said.
He said the second drive of vaccination would go on simultaneously with the vaccination of healthcare workers.
Asked whether there would be any vaccination drive for teachers, given that regular academic activities are expected to start in some weeks, Dulloo said, “We are awaiting Center’s directions and it appears that teachers would be the next group of workers that will be vaccinated.”
With constant decline in Covid-19 positive cases in the recent months, the union territory (UT) government has already ordered lifting of pandemic related restrictions and re-categorized all districts of J&K as ‘green zones.’
The activities to be resumed include opening of schools, colleges, higher educational institutions, technical/skill institutions as per SOPs. The ceiling on the number of pilgrims permitted to visit Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Katra has been revised to 25000.