Goa govt starts giving second dose of COVID-19 vaccine

The Goa government on Saturdaystarted administering the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine tothe healthcare workers in the state, an official said.

Those healthcare workers who had taken the first doseof the vaccine 28 days ago were given the second shot onSaturday, state immunisation officer Dr Rajendra Borkar said.

Ranganath Bhojje, a healthcare worker from Goa MedicalCollege and Hospital (GMCH), near here was the first person toget the vaccine shot on January 16, when the nationwidevaccination programme had started.

He was again the first person to get the second doseof the vaccine, the official said.

Those who received the second dose of the vaccine willdevelop immunity against the infection after 14 days, he said.

Out of the total number of 19,952 healthcare workersin the state, 10,341 have received their first dose so far,while the remaining will receive it by February 20, Dr Borkarsaid.

The state has covered 52 per cent of the healthcareworkers in the vaccine drive so far, Dr Borkar said.

''Initially, we had set the deadline of February 12 tocover all healthcare workers, but now it has been extended toFebruary 20 to ensure maximum coverage,'' he said.

Earlier this week, the state government also beganvaccinating COVID-19 frontline warriors, including policepersonnel, home guards, civic employees, staffers of revenueand panchayat departments, the official added.