Barbers to priests: 30L from high-risk groups inoculated in one month across Telangana

In May, the Telangana government had decided to launch a special drive to vaccinate all the people including professions who have a public dealing. The decision was taken after the government identified people who have the potential to spread the infection to a large group of people.

The government identified 43 groups who fall in the high-risk- high-exposure category. The government called them 'super spreaders' and started vaccinating them in a phased manner from May 28.

"We prioritized the people. First, we prioritized health care workers then frontline workers and after that above 60 plus and 45 plus groups. When it came to 18 plus, we again prioritized the most exposed group. These people are day in and day out coming in contact with the people. They have the potential to infect others. We are the first state to do so. Though mobilizing these groups was hard, we managed and administered 30.7 lakh doses in a month," said Dr. G Srinivasa Rao, Director of Public Health, Telangana.

Pertinently, the state government halted the immunization in the first week of May after the shortage of vaccines. Later, the state had to buy directly from the manufacturer. The government suspended the drive for two weeks in May. Later they identified high-risk- high exposure groups and started vaccinating them on a priority basis.

Phase I

In the first phase, the government vaccinated nine types of workers. They included civil suppliers, LPG dealers, and workers, petrol pump workers, journalist and media persons, fertilizer, pesticide, seed dealers and workers, and TSRTC employees.

The government vaccinated around 1,19,731 beneficiaries in this phase. Around 34,633 doses were administered to LPG dealers, and workers, and petrol pump workers. It was followed by 33,400 doses to fertilizer, pesticide, and seed workers and dealers. The government also vaccinated 12,408 journalists and media persons.

Phase II

In phase II, the government started vaccinating 19 high-risk- high exposure groups. They include kirana shop owners, workers, meat shop workers, vegetable sellers, street vendors, barbers, auto and cab drivers, self-help group members, milk vendors, crematorium, burial ground workers, medical shops, pharmacy workers, etc.

The government also administered 25,63,333 doses to the beneficiaries in this phase. Around 4,35,744 doses were administered to kirana shop owners and workers followed by 4,12,929 doses to self-help group members. The government administered 3,58,590 doses to street vendors, 3,27,964 doses to small shop owners, 2,37,355 doses to vegetable sellers, and 91,659 doses to auto and cab drivers.

Phase III

In this phase, the government prioritized mostly the people in the service sector. In this phase, they vaccinated around 17 groups of people which include exercise department employees, bank employees, state power utility employees, postal department employees, engineering staff, stamps and registration staff, teachers and educational institution staff, Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) procurement center staff, agriculture field related members, pujaris, imams, muezzins and pastors.

In this phase, the government administered 3,90,367 doses to these groups. Around 66,291 doses were administered to agriculture field related members followed by 59,498 doses to Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) procurement center and 57,120 doses to teachers and educational institute staff. Around 18,435 vaccine doses were also administered to bank employees, and around 23,931 doses were administered to pujaris, imams, muezzins, and pastors.

Apart from vaccinating high risk-high exposure groups, the government also continued to inoculate health care workers and frontline workers. In a month, the state administered around 72,569 doses to health care workers (first dose- 53,484, second dose 19,085) and 97,332 to frontline workers (first dose- 59,329, second dose-38,003).

Private vaccination centers were providing vaccine jab to the 18 plus age group.

As per the CoWin dashboard, Telangana has vaccinated 1,06,58,284 people.