PUNE: The hesitancy for the precaution dose was mainly among paramedics in the healthcare workers’ category, office-bearers of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said on Tuesday.
“They (paramedics) need to be sensitised to get the third dose, as just like doctors, they also get exposed to many patients every day,” said Dr Sanjay Patil, the chairman of the IMA’s Hospital Board of India.
The paramedics include nurses, therapists, technicians and other ancillary personnel involved in medical services. Currently, only the healthcare workers have over one option of availing of free Covid vaccination with the third dose. “We have a large network of state and civic-run vaccination centres in Pune, where vaccination is free. Besides, private hospitals have also started offering their staffers the third dose free. They do not have to stand in a queue at government-run centres,” Dr Patil said.
Senior paediatrician Dr Dilip Sarda, the chairman of the Pune IMA’s core committee on Covid vaccination, said, “Various studies have proven vaccine-mediated protective antibodies wane considerably after six to eight months. Healthcare workers are the most exposed and high-risk segment. Hence, they should come forward to get the precaution dose.”
Dr Muralidhar Tambe, acting dean of the state-run B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital said, “The response to the third dose is comparatively better in our doctors, nurses and medical students. But there is certainly some hesitancy among support staffers. We have started counselling them.”
Only 6% of total beneficiaries for the precaution dose availed it eight days into the drive in the Pune district.
A total of 52,653 more people in the district received their Covid shots on Tuesday. The day’s tally includes vaccination of teenagers and precaution doses administered to healthcare and frontline workers, and senior citizens above 60 years of age, who have completed nine months from the second dose.
