<p>As many as 2,60,844 frontline workers from Karnataka have registered so far on Co-WIN as of January 31, which was the last day for registration. These workers are likely to be administered with the second consignment of Covaxin doses, around 1.46 lakh of them, received by the state on January 23.</p>.<p>The government’s decision to administer Covaxin in only medical colleges like SIMS (Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences), HIMS (Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences), CIMS (Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences), and VIMS (Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences) and two district hospitals of Davangere and Chikkamagaluru did not go well with students, who wrote to the health minister asking for a choice between vaccines. The reception of Covaxin among frontline workers may meet a similar fate.</p>.<p>However, Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, in a recent webinar had said these institutes were chosen because they are large, with many beneficiaries. And since Covaxin vials have 20 doses each, they wanted to reduce wastage. The second consignment of Covaxin has 1,46,240 vaccine doses.</p>.<p>The state has not revealed why frontline workers were particularly chosen for Covaxin. Dr Rajani Nageshrao, Deputy Director, Immunisation, of the state health department told <span class="italic">DH</span>, she was unaware of the reason. Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey reportedly said Covaxin will be used for frontline workers but did not respond to queries from <span class="italic">DH</span> on why. </p>.<p>BBMP Commissioner Manjunatha Prasad said, “We haven’t received any communication regarding which vaccine will be given to frontline workers that include BBMP workers. We will administer whichever vaccine is supplied to us. We haven’t enquired among our employees which vaccine they prefer.”</p>.<p>Frontline workers include, 30,000 BBMP employees (including contract and outsourced), 27,000 city policemen and personnel from state and central police departments, armed forces, home guards, prison staff, disaster management volunteers, civil defence personnel, municipal workers, revenue department officials, engaged in Covid-19 containment surveillance and associated activities.</p>.<p>Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) had written to Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, demanding that only those vaccines be administered where at least phase 3 interim analyses are available and that they also are given a choice as both vaccines were yet to complete phase 3 trials. The doctors expressed concern that all other centres in Karnataka were getting Covishield except them.</p>.<p>In the letter, they said, “Before receiving Covaxin, we have been made to take the undertaking that clinical efficacy of Covaxin is yet to be established. The undertaking and the distribution of the vaccine sound very suspicious and the resident doctors are very guarded in getting vaccinated.”</p>
<p>As many as 2,60,844 frontline workers from Karnataka have registered so far on Co-WIN as of January 31, which was the last day for registration. These workers are likely to be administered with the second consignment of Covaxin doses, around 1.46 lakh of them, received by the state on January 23.</p>.<p>The government’s decision to administer Covaxin in only medical colleges like SIMS (Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences), HIMS (Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences), CIMS (Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences), and VIMS (Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences) and two district hospitals of Davangere and Chikkamagaluru did not go well with students, who wrote to the health minister asking for a choice between vaccines. The reception of Covaxin among frontline workers may meet a similar fate.</p>.<p>However, Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health, in a recent webinar had said these institutes were chosen because they are large, with many beneficiaries. And since Covaxin vials have 20 doses each, they wanted to reduce wastage. The second consignment of Covaxin has 1,46,240 vaccine doses.</p>.<p>The state has not revealed why frontline workers were particularly chosen for Covaxin. Dr Rajani Nageshrao, Deputy Director, Immunisation, of the state health department told <span class="italic">DH</span>, she was unaware of the reason. Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey reportedly said Covaxin will be used for frontline workers but did not respond to queries from <span class="italic">DH</span> on why. </p>.<p>BBMP Commissioner Manjunatha Prasad said, “We haven’t received any communication regarding which vaccine will be given to frontline workers that include BBMP workers. We will administer whichever vaccine is supplied to us. We haven’t enquired among our employees which vaccine they prefer.”</p>.<p>Frontline workers include, 30,000 BBMP employees (including contract and outsourced), 27,000 city policemen and personnel from state and central police departments, armed forces, home guards, prison staff, disaster management volunteers, civil defence personnel, municipal workers, revenue department officials, engaged in Covid-19 containment surveillance and associated activities.</p>.<p>Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) had written to Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, demanding that only those vaccines be administered where at least phase 3 interim analyses are available and that they also are given a choice as both vaccines were yet to complete phase 3 trials. The doctors expressed concern that all other centres in Karnataka were getting Covishield except them.</p>.<p>In the letter, they said, “Before receiving Covaxin, we have been made to take the undertaking that clinical efficacy of Covaxin is yet to be established. The undertaking and the distribution of the vaccine sound very suspicious and the resident doctors are very guarded in getting vaccinated.”</p>
