Covid jab for all 45+ in a month in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has targeted to administer Covid-19 jab to all those aged above 45 years in a month as it has so far covered with one dose nearly 50 per cent of the targeted 1.33 crore people in the state.

Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal told media persons here on Saturday that the state was having 1,33,07,889 people aged above 45 years and of them, 18.66 lakh were given both doses of the Covid jab, while 47.91 lakh were given only the first dose. He said that they had targeted to administer the jab to the remaining people in the above 45 years category in a month.

With regard to the spread of black fungus cases in the state, the official stated that so far 1,460 cases were identified. On the use of medical oxygen, he said that out of Centre’s allotment of 590 metric tonnes per day, they used only 406 metric tonnes in the last 24 hours following a dip in the number of Covid cases.

He announced that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had decided to implement the hike in monthly stipend of Rs 70,000 from Rs 45,000 for the senior resident doctors from September 2020 onwards and added that PG final year medical students attending Covid duty would also get the hiked monthly stipend as they joined the duty after April 30.

He said as the final year students were to appear for their annual exams to be held by the NTR University of Health Sciences in July, they were going to give them hiked stipend up to July 31 even as they appear for exams.

Singhal said a state-level Covid command control committee meeting was held and discussed the preparations for the impending third wave of the Covid pandemic with regard to medical equipment, medicines, ICU beds and others. After compiling a distinct-level data, a report would be submitted to the CM for his perusal, he added.