The Deputy Commissioner of South West Khasi Hills has urged anyone 18 and above who do not have voter ID cards (EPIC) to obtain a certificate from their local headman in order to be able to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
The DC held a Covid-19 meeting today with headmen in Ranikor civil sub-division.
There are 346 people in Ranikor division who had or currently have the coronavirus, out of which two have died. Out of an eligible population of 26,891, only 6,689 (25 percent) have taken the vaccine, Medical and Health Officer of Ranikor Community Health Centre, Dr P Warjri, informed.
Until March 31 SWKH was a success story, having only recorded 57 Covid infections and no deaths. Since then, however, cases have ballooned, with a total of 1,126 now and seven fatalities.
In Ranikor division, the public are generally hesitant to submit themselves to testing and to get the jab as they are influenced by false rumours, Dr Warjri said.
The coming of the monsoon, bad road network and poor mobile phone coverage are other hurdles.
Meanwhile, the MLA-MDC of the area, Pius Marweiñ, also appealed to the traditional heads in the region to give their full cooperation and support to the government in the fight against the coronavirus.
