“Necessary instructions to strictly enforce the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) will be issued soon and a fine on violators under the Public Health Act will also be imposed”
Nitesh Sangral
Days after taking a second dose of ‘much’ talked COVID-19 vaccine, a young doctor in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir was detected with the mild form of the infectious disease. Doctor with the state-run Super-specialty Hospital in JKUT has contracted the novel coronavirus despite taking both vaccine doses.
People close to the doctor maintained that he believed that not wearing a mask after getting the second dose and a general lowering of the guard may have caused Covid-19.
The Doctor got the first shot of the vaccine in February and the second one in March and almost a week later he was tested positive. However, the doctor has been advised home quarantine.
Senior officials from the State Health department wishing not to be named claimed that they have urged vaccine beneficiaries on multiple occasions to continue maintaining COVID appropriate behaviour even after taking the vaccine dose.
“Vaccine beneficiaries must maintain all precautions such as wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and sanitizing hands regularly,” said the doctor, adding that lowering of guard just because a vaccine has been taken is ‘insane’ and invites the virus.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the administrative ‘mismanagement’, a senior doctor said that rather than focusing on preventive measures and vaccination of people simultaneously, the Union Territory administration is only focusing on vaccination of people as a result; there is another spike in the number of cases.
“The administration, instead of focusing only on the vaccination, must also ponder over precautionary measures,” said doctor, adding that the report of the doctor being infected after taking both doses has created panic among people.
He said that there is no doubt that the incident has created panic among the people in general and health workers in particular.
“Unfortunately, the administration is doing nothing to allay fear among the public with regard to the vaccine. The infected doctor is an eye opener for the administration to take stringent action for enforcement of covid-19 guidelines,” said doctor.
However, according to an official statement, the Jammu and Kashmir administration claimed to have nearly 4.40 lakh people vaccinated so far against COVID-19 in the Union Territory with no reported case of extreme adverse events.
It also conveyed that 77 percent of the healthcare workers, 78 percent of the frontline workers and 12.28 percent of the elderly population and patients with co-morbidities have been inoculated.
Talking to The Typewriter, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Anshul Garg said that the district administration is already on the job of creating awareness among masses about the vaccination as well as managing precautionary measures.
On being asked some people are defying COVID-19 protocols and exposing themselves and others to the risk of contracting the virus, Deputy Commissioner said that necessary instructions to strictly enforce the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) will be issued soon and a fine on violators under the Public Health Act will also be imposed.
Chief Medical Officer Jammu, Dr JP Singh said that the corona vaccines do not work instantly and it needs prescribed time for the body to build up immunity after receiving a dose.
“As far as the condition of the doctor, who has tested positive for Corona-19, is stable and there is no adverse reaction to the vaccine” Singh claimed.
Despite repeated attempts, Director General, Family Welfare Dr Saleem Ul Rehman was not available for comments.
