Go for COVID-19 vaccine or forget quarantine leave: Punjab Minister
What's the story
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Sunday warned healthcare workers who did not get the COVID-19 vaccine shot of not allowing them quarantine leave if they get infected at a later stage. They would also have to bear the cost of their treatment. He further pointed out that Punjab has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases in recent days.
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Punjab has seen spike in cases in past few weeks
Sidhu said, "The healthcare workers who do not get vaccinated to boost their immunity for COVID-19 despite being given repeated opportunities, will have to bear the cost of their treatment in case of infection later. They will not be allowed to avail quarantine/isolation leave as well." Worryingly, Punjab is amongst the states that have shown a spike in COVID-19 cases.
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State has about 3,000 active cases
Sidhu said, "With 358 infections reported on February 20, now there are about 3,000 active cases in the state as against only 2,000 three weeks ago. There is a dire need that all healthcare workers should get themselves vaccinated to deal with any unprecedented situation."
Sidhu's statement
Be prepared to fight it like a second wave: Sidhu
Sidhu said, "Punjab is among the six states where COVID-19 cases are rising and we should prepare to fight it like a second wave. These rising cases indicate that COVID-19 is not over yet and Punjab may witness a surge in cases." "This highlights the need for following coronavirus appropriate behavior like social distancing, wearing of mask, hand sanitization, and respiratory etiquette," he added.
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Shun hesitancy and get vaccinated, Sidhu urged health workers
Sidhu said, "The healthcare workers should shun hesitancy and come forward to get vaccinated at the earliest for the sake of their own safety and that of their near and dear ones."
Healthcare and frontline workers
Number of those vaccinated in state much less than target
Expressing concern over the low rate of vaccination among healthcare and frontline workers, Sidhu said, "So far 2.06 lakh healthcare workers and 1.82 lakh frontline workers have registered for COVID-19 vaccination." He said that about 79,000 healthcare workers (HCW) and 4,000 frontline workers (FLW) have been vaccinated, saying this coverage has not been up to the mark.
Information
Don't be misled by misinformation, vaccine is safe: Sidhu
Sidhu said, "The vaccine is safe and effective, and not even a single case of death or any serious adverse effect has been reported in Punjab regarding vaccine administration so far." He stressed that no one should be misled by rumors and misinformation. The last date to avail the first dose of vaccination has been extended from February 19 to 25 in the state.