2nd stage of vaccination against Covid begins
The Health Department has started vaccination of other health workers across the province after the vaccination of frontline health workers deployed in Intensive Care Units (ICU) and high dependency units.
Government has also approved the inoculation of staff of the private hospitals too whose vaccination has already been started.
Sources told The Express Tribune that around 1200 health workers in eight most affected districts have been vaccinated so far who were on the frontline of dealing with the Covid-19 patients.
“The first priority is given to doctors, nurses and technicians deployed at ICUs and other wards but in the second stage it has been decided to vaccinate those who also come into contact with the Covid-19 patients frequently including the medical staff of the private hospitals. They are also receiving the vaccine,” said the sources, adding that in the next phase the immunization of all the hospital staff was planned.
“One dose is administrated and another one is given after 21 days,” said the sources.
It is worth mentioning here that around 45 doctors have been killed in the pandemic and the total number of health workers is more than 75 in the province. Doctors time and again demanded provision of protective gear or PPEs for all the hospital staff as well as the corona risk allowance. They also demand the payment of shaheed package for the families of deceased doctors.
On the other hand around eight more people have lost their lives due to Covid-19 across the province. This has increased the number of total deaths in the province to 2014 so far. The total number of Covid-10 cases stands at 70,306.
One man died in Peshawar while another one was killed in Haripur. As far as the new cases is concerned 76 were recorded in Peshawar, 23 in Nowshera, 19 in Swat, 19 in Aabbotabad, 12 in Mardan, six in Malakand, five in Kohat and four in Bannu. In total 183 new cases have been reported.
Across the province around 256 patients have also recovered which has pushed up the number of recovered patients to 66,240 while the number of active cases is 2,052.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 19th, 2021.