On Saturday, the Center directed states and UT that new registrations of healthcare and frontline workers will not be allowed, as some ineligible beneficiaries in this category were obtaining their names for COVID-19 vaccination in violation of the rules. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter, said that registration of people aged 45 and over will continue to be allowed on the Co-WIN portal, and called on states / UTs to ensure universal vaccination of the already registered health workers (TS) and first line. workers (PDA) as soon as possible.
The nationwide vaccination campaign was launched on January 16 with the vaccination of healthcare workers and the vaccination of PDAs began on February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination began on March 1 for those aged 60 and over and for those aged 45 and over. with specified comorbid conditions.
In the letter, Bhushan said that all efforts have been made in close collaboration with the states and UT to saturate the vaccination of TS and PDA. While progress is being tracked, the schedule for completing the vaccination of all HCWs and PDAs with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been extended several times and was finally set at February 25 for HCWs and February 6. March for PDAs, he said.
About a month has passed since these deadlines and even after starting the vaccination of the population over 60 years of age, the registration and vaccination of TS and PDA were ordered in order to ensure optimal coverage, he stressed. “Various inputs have been received from different sources that in some of the COVID-19 vaccination centers (CVC), some ineligible beneficiaries are being registered as TS and PDA and are being vaccinated in total violation of prescribed guidelines,” Bhushan said .
There has been a 24 percent increase in the healthcare worker database in the last few days. “This issue was discussed with state representatives and domain knowledge experts at today’s NEGVAC meeting, and in accordance with the recommendation of the National Group of Experts on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), it was decided that there is no new registrations in TS categories and PDAs will be allowed with immediate effect. Registrations of people aged 45 and over will continue to be allowed on the CoWIN portal, “he said in the letter.
“I ask you to be kind enough to direct interested officials for a wider dissemination of this policy decision for compliance. However, universal vaccination of health workers and already registered FLWs should be ensured as soon as possible,” added.
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