The rate of Covid-19 vaccination uptake in indigenous-dominated neighbourhoods in Meghalaya has been poor, Health Department sources have informed, and “quite good” in mixed areas.
There have been 1.26 lakh Covid vaccine jabs administered in Meghalaya up until 5pm today, of which 36,000 are among the general public and the rest among health workers and other frontline personnel.
“It seems that the Health Department cannot convince the people in certain areas to take the vaccine and it only through the Dorbar Shnongs, women’s organizations, etc that this thing can really pick up and somehow prevent the spread of this virus,” a source requesting anonymity told Highland Post.
Meanwhile, the health official also said it is important that there are no lapses at the entry-exit checkpoints where people entering the state have to demonstrate that they do not have Covid-19.
“There needs to be proper checks, record keeping and sharing of information of people entering or exiting the state so that doctors in charge of a particular area can follow up with returnees and see if they are symptomatic or whether they have been tested or not,” the source stated.
On education and parents’ fears of sending their children to school, the source said that it is not only worrying that schools have reopened but that the wider public is generally relaxed when it comes to Covid protocols.
A section of teachers claimed that there are several schools in Shillong that are not following the SOPs to the letter.
