57% of target beneficiaries vaccinated in Andhra Pradesh, 8 cases of adverse events recorded

The Andhra Pradesh government vaccinated 19,108 beneficiaries – over 57% of the first-day target of Covid-19 vaccinations in the state, till 8.30 pm on Saturday.

The state recorded eight cases of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) - five from Kurnool, two from Nellore and one from Anantapuram districts. Nellore, Anantapuram cases are minor, officials said.

The Jaganmohan Reddy government has set up 332 vaccine session sites across the 13 districts and has enlisted about 33,200 health care sector workers as the target coverage on the inaugural day, with 100 vaccinations planned to be conducted at each site.

The status report at 8.30 pm showed that the vaccine was administered on 19,108 beneficiaries.

“The target given to us by the centre was 14,300 beneficiaries, to be vaccinated at 143 sites. But since we have the vaccine availability and in order to expand the coverage (to two locations) in all the Assembly constituencies, we have included more sites,” Dr Sreehari, joint director, state immunisation programme told DH.

Technical glitches in some areas and the first-day delay due to the inaugural address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the nation is said to have slowed down the achievement numbers.

“However, the vaccination process will continue till the completion of today's target,” AP health officials stated.

B Pushpa Kumari, a sanitation worker at the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada was the first to be given the Covid-19 vaccine shot in Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of Chief Minister Reddy.

The state plans to cover 3.87 lakh health care workers under Phase-1 of Covid-19 vaccination programme. Andhra Pradesh has received 4.7 lakhs doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin and has drafted 2,324 medical staff for administering the vaccines.

In neighbouring Telangana, the first beneficiary was Kistamma, a contractual sanitation worker at the state-run Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, who was given the first dose in the presence of health minister Etela Rajender.

“My family had some apprehensions but I decided to take the shot as it would encourage others to come forward. I was kept on observation post the jab. I am feeling absolutely fine now,” said Kistamma.