Covid norms go for a toss as residents throng vaccination centres in Ludhiana

Ludhiana The rapid rise in the number of Covid cases and the latest restrictions imposed by the Punjab government, allowing only fully vaccinated people at public places from January 15, has culminated in large and unmanageable crowds thronging the vaccination centres over the last few days.

Huge gatherings were witnessed at the urban community health centre, Jawaddi on Monday. Residents, many of whom had come to the centre without wearing masks, could be seen pushing each other while standing in the long queues. The situation was not much different at the vaccination centre in the civil surgeon office either, with people violating the social distancing norms.

As the health department struggled to manage the crowd, given the limited strength of the deployed staff members at the entry gate, the public was quick to criticise the department for mismanagement and even harassment at the centres. Several people rued having to make multiple trips to the centres to their doses.

Shanti, a Vikas Nagar resident, claimed that she has received the second dose of vaccine on after making three separate trips, saying, “I have been standing in queue since 9am and now again at around 1pm, the staffers at the centre have started saying that only a few more residents will be able to get the vaccine today and the rest will have to come some other day.”

“This is harassment and the administration should find a solution for the problem. The department should vaccinate all the visitors on that particular day when they report at the centre,” she added.

Similarly, Sushma, who works as a housekeeper who was waiting in the queue to receive her second dose, said it was very difficult for her to ask for leave from her job to make multiple trips to the centre.

“The department has been urging residents to get the second dose but no proper arrangements have been made. If I am not able to get the dose today, then it will get delayed as I will not be able to come again soon. The administration should increase the number of counters in a centre looking at the number of visitors”, she said.

The authorities, meanwhile, said they have made regular appeals to the residents to follow the social distancing norms and keep themselves safe.

Civil surgeon Dr SP Singh, who also visited the Jawaddi centre at the commencement of vaccination for children of age group 15-18 years on Monday, said, “The visitors are appealed to follow the norms and centre’s staff has also been deployed to ensure social distancing and wearing of masks.”

“But heavy rush was witnessed at the centre and the centre authorities were asked to take help of police if required. The department is also working to set up more centres in the nearby areas to streamline the process,” he added.