At least 14,110 vaccinated on second day of drive in Bengal

At least 14,110 people receivedCovishield vaccine at the planned 207 centres in West Bengalon the second day of the vaccination programme Monday, even as14 Adverse Event Following Immunisation' (AEFI) cases werereported from different parts of the state,a senior healthdepartment official said.

The total number of beneficiaries were around 1,597 lessas compared to that on the opening day of the vaccinationrollout on Saturday.

This was primarily because of the fact that the CoWIN,software prepared for the purpose of vaccination, continued tomalfunction like it happened on January 16,the official said.

''Covid vaccination was successfully done today. All theplanned 207 sessions were held and 14,110 beneficiaries wereinoculated.

''The performance is little less today mainly due to somecommunication issues as the CoWIN portal was not workingsmoothly,'' the official told PTI.

A total of 15,707 people had received the jabs on theinaugural day of the vaccination programme in Bengal.

On the launch day against the target of 21,000, atotal of 15,707 people had got the shots against coronavirus.

According to the sources in the health department, thetarget on the second day was roughly to vaccinate 20,000citizens out of which 14,110 got the jabs.

According to the official, because of the glitches,severalbeneficiaries did not receive any texts for inoculation andthe health department officials had to ''call them over phone''.

Out of the 14 AEFI reported from different districts, twoneeded hospitalisation during the day, he said.

Both are women - one 34-year-old, who started shiveringand vomiting soon after administering the vaccine, iscurrently undergoing treatment at the Diamond Harbour MedicalCollege and Hospital while another one is a 46-year-old womanin Falakata in Alipurduar district.

The second woman is being treated at the FalakataMultispeciality Hospital with respiratory symptoms and nausea.

Both are stable and responding to treatment.

''Today, the AEFI rate is just around 1/1000, which isnormally expected for any vaccination,'' the official said.

The nurse, who is undergoing treatment at the Nil RatanSircar Medical College and Hospital after she fell illfollowing administration of vaccine on the starting day, is''doing well and is under observation''.

''The patient admitted at NRS MCH is further better today.

She is responding to treatment well, but requires to stay atHospital for some other investigation,'' he said.

AEFI is any untoward medical occurrence followingimmunisation and might not have a relation with thevaccination process.