Anantnag: Only 53 of the healthcare workers enlisted for the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination here in Anantnag took the jab, the others preferring to stay away.
Some senior doctors, including the Principal of GMC Anantnag Dr Showkat Jeelani, received the first shot of the vaccine on Saturday. In Anantnag district the vaccination was carried out at two hospitals – the Government Medical College Hospital in main town Anantnag and the Sub-District Hospital in Bijbehara.
“At both the places 100 vaccinations each had to be carried out. Names of the healthcare workers to receive the shot were listed in advance,” a source in the health department said.
He said that most of the healthcare professionals listed for the vaccine however stayed away and did not visit these hospitals to get the first shot.
“In Bijbehara only 30 out of the 100 listed people turned up to receive the shot,” the source said. “While as at GMC Anantnag it was even lower, with only 27 people among the hundred turning up to get vaccinated.”
Some of these people Kashmir Reader talked to said that they were in a dilemma over whether to get vaccinated or not. “I decided to wait a little and see if there are any side effects to the vaccine and then get the shot,” a doctor said, requesting not to be named.
Others, however, said that they just got stuck somewhere and they will take the vaccine in the coming days.
Kashmir Reader talked to Dr Jeelani, who said that he received the jab first as his name was first in the list. “The backlog will be completed in the coming days,” he said.

Suhail A Shah