COVID-19 Vaccination: An Important Warrior in Reopening of Educational Institutions
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COVID-19 Vaccination: An Important Warrior in Reopening of Educational Institutions

Post by on Thursday, February 17, 2022

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History is witness to the fact that contagious diseases such as COVID-19 aren’t new to the human experience, rather world has progressed through many such apocalyptic episodes. It has been estimated that bubonic plague – largely cited as Black Death – caused over 25 million deaths in Europe alone. Smallpox is said to have caused more than 300 million deaths worldwide. Spanish influenza claimed nearly 50 million lives globally. Likewise Cholera, HIV AIDS, Ebola etc. have claimed millions of lives across the world.

 

Historically, in every such collective health emergency, human ability to reason and consequent potential for innovative practices to control the untoward has been at play. Specifically with the help of scientific and innovative practices, humans have managed to control the wide spread of infections and restore normalcy. In the list of many medical preventive measures, vaccination has been most effective in reducing the devastating impact of infectious diseases. While quarantine, lockdowns, social distancing, wearing of masks, red zone containment management etc have also contributed in this respect, however, in the present day global order, where the range and intensity of human interactions specifically in the spheres of business, trade, commerce has widened unprecedentedly, and people are supposed to attend work places away from homes, vaccination has proved to be the best possible measure to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Therefore, to lessen the economic burden of COVID-19, and curb the consequent humanitarian crisis, there has been a repeated call by WHO, UN and other international bodies for COVID-19 vaccination to fight to end the pandemic.

 

Correspondingly, nations across the world have responded to this call positively and have had major success to control the infection. India started its vaccination programme on 16th January 2021 with first priority given to healthcare and frontline workers and till date 1.73 billion doses have been administered. This milestone has been achieved in 390 days with an average 4.4 million doses administered per day. Therefore, India is ahead of many other nations such as Russia (administrated doses 150 million), Brazil (360 million) Turkey (140 million) in terms of total vaccination doses administered.

Total Vaccinated Population In India*

18+ Population

15-18 Years

 

Precaution Dose

Total Doses

Administered

1st Dose

2nd Dose

1st Dose

2nd Dose

90,57,00,325

74,47,14,995

5,27,06,855

1,75,85,751

1,79,73,749

1,73,86,81,675

Total Vaccinated Population J&K*

98,88,541

99,82,220

7,98,699

2,87,312

2,53,804

2,12,10,576

     *Source: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

 

Indeed, the data maintained by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MHFW) indicates that India has been by and large consistent in administering COVID -19 vaccines equitably across states and Union Territories. The allocation of vaccines to states and UTs has been on the basis of a right approach and dynamic formula that gives precedence to active cases–load over population. This is evident from the fact that Covid worst-hit states in India including Maharashtra (9.6 percent), Uttar Pradesh (8.3 percent), West-Bengal (6.4 percent), Gujarat (7.7 percent) and Rajasthan (7.7 percent) received the highest number of total doses supplied by the Central government. Utter Pradesh reported the highest number of Covid vaccines administered (263.24 millions) followed by Maharashtra (148.57 million) and West Bengal (122.5 million).

 

In the UT of Jammu & Kashmir 20.53 million Covid vaccines have been administered as of January 2022 with average 32000 doses administered per day. In fact, Jammu & Kashmir is among the leading States of the country in terms of vaccination coverage of its population and completed 100 percent first dose vaccination for all aged 18 and above in all 20 districts in October last year.For Second vaccination dose Jammu & Kashmir was first state in the country to have started the Har Ghar Dastak (door-to-door vaccination campaign). Subsequently, on January 12, 2022 Jammu and Kashmir achieved the mark of 100 percent 2nd Covid vaccination dose for all aged 18 and above.

 

 

Covid-19 Vaccination Status of Kashmir Division

District

1st Dose (>18 Yrs)

2nd Dose (>18 Yrs)

1st Dose (15-17 Yrs)

Anantnag

105 %

105%

101%

Bandipora

103%

106%

99.3%

Baramullah

104%

102%

102%

Budgam

105%

106%

101%

Ganderbal

103%

102%

103%

Kulgam

102%

107%

104%

Kupwara

104%

104%

99.7%

Pulwama

103%

103%

103%

Shopian

104%

102%

103%

Srinagar

104%

103%

73%

Total

104%

104%

96%

Source: Divisional COVID Control Room Srinagar (as on 15thFebruary 2022)

 

For young population aged 15-17 years, the Covid vaccination campaign commenced from 3rd January 2022 as per the guidelines set by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MHFW). And till date7,98,699doses have been administered in Jammu & Kashmir. In Kashmir division district Ganderbal was first to have completed 100 percent vaccination coverage of its population in age group of 15-17 years, followed by Kulgam and Anantnag. Altogether, vaccination coverage of 15-17 aged in Kashmir division as on 15thFebruary 2022 is 96 percent, which is above the national level of 71 percent.

 

Covid vaccination of all categories of population is important for restoring normalcy in every domain of life be it economy, education, tour & travel or religious ceremonies and rituals. However, the catastrophic disruptions that education sector throughout the world has suffered and the loss that has been there for young people in terms of educational pursuits and social skills; the call for reopening schools, colleges and universities is now clear and loud and so is the need to prioritise the vaccination of students as part of target population groups. This is specifically true of low-and-middle-income countries, where the percentage of young population is relatively higher and accessibility to facilities such as internet, personal computers, and technology know-how - which are needed for home based learning -are limited. As per the UNICEF findings, globally 3out of 4 students, who are at risk of falling behind due to closure of educational institutions, come from rural and poorest households. Yet another study of UNICEF demonstrates that nearly 463 million students across the world have remained cut-off from education due to Covid-19.

 

Hence, in response to the unprecedented educational challenges created by closure of educational institutions due to Covid-19 and to keep learning and education of younger generations continue, Covid vaccination of lower age groups is now all more important. Indeed, it is evident from the WHO, UN and UNICEF recommendations directing national governments to prioritise the Covid vaccination of 12-18 age groups as target population, so that educational institutions reopen and class-based learning goes uninterrupted. In tandem, India after considerable scientific and medical deliberations has come-up with a vaccination plan for 12-14 age groups, which is going to commence from March 2022.

 

Altogether, it is highly recommended that vaccination is the only effective alternative to protect oneself and others from the Covid -19 infection. It is quite obvious that with the increasing coverage of vaccinated population, positivity rate, occupancy of beds in hospitals as well as Covid related deaths have drastically declined. Presently Covid related bed occupancy in the hospitals of Kashmir Division is 3.2 percent which is negligible compared to 42 percent in April 2021. Same has been the case at national and international level. With these observations we wishour students will see the new dawn of hope in their education which has suffered a lot during this pandemic.

 

(Issued by Media Cell,Divisional COVID Control Room Srinagar, Kashmir. Feedback at: Osdkmrcovid19@gmail.com