A NEWLY launched Covid vaccination drive in Madhya Pradesh’s Niwari district has led to policemen conducting checks on roads and making those that haven’t been vaccinated put on posters with cranium marks — and the message: “Mujhse dur rahein, maine abhi corona ka tika nahi lagwaya (Stay away from me, I haven’t got vaccinated for Covid).”
Those who’re handed these posters, below the drive within the district’s Prithvipur block, are requested to learn the message out loud and take an oath that they’d get vaccinated inside two days. Those who’ve been vaccinated are given badges with colors of the nationwide flag and the message: “Mein saccha deshbhakt hoon kyunki maine corona ka tika lagwaya hai (I am a true patriot because I have been vaccinated).”
Asked about such measures being taken at a time when states are going through a scarcity of vaccines, Niwari SP Alok Kumar Singh mentioned the directions have been to only hand out the sticker or poster and never make anybody put on it. “It is one of the many initiatives and is only symbolic with an intention to create awareness,” Singh mentioned.
“With a third wave being anticipated, various awareness drives are being carried out to dispel the fear of vaccination, which is the only solution against the virus,” he mentioned.
Sub Divisional Police Officer Santosh Pandey, who’s accountable for the drive in Prithvipur block, mentioned “no partiality is shown”. “I am a local from the adjoining Panna district and in this region of Bundekhand it is understood that if someone swears over something, they will definitely fulfill it. That is why people are being made to take an oath to vaccinate themselves,” mentioned Pandey.
SP Singh and Pandey mentioned the drive was launched to beat vaccine hesitancy, particularly within the villages.
Bordering UP, Niwari has up to now recorded 3,673 Covid circumstances. During the second wave in April, practically 80 policemen have been down with Covid. Since May 20, the day by day depend has largely been in single digits. The district has recorded 47 deaths up to now, of which 35 have occurred since May. There are presently 48 energetic circumstances in Niwari.
However, the district’s tempo of vaccination is but to select up with solely 4.2 per cent of its inhabitants within the 18-44 age group lined up to now. So far, 36,344 folks (about 60 per cent) from a inhabitants of 59,885 above 45 years previous have acquired at the very least one dose of the vaccine. But the marketing campaign has lined solely 8,582 of the district’s 2.03 lakh inhabitants within the 18-44 age group.
On June 9, solely 257 folks above 45 years of age and 895 extra within the 18-44 age vary have been vaccinated in Niwari. State-wise, Madhya Pradesh has vaccinated 1.35 crore folks from a inhabitants of seven.2 crore.
Niwari District Collector Ashish Bargav mentioned the district, which is the smallest within the state and was carved out of Tikamgarh simply over two years in the past, was recording practically 3,000 vaccinations per day in March. But the marketing campaign was “badly hit” when the state equipment was diverted to sort out the second wave, he mentioned.
“Now, we are focused on vaccination as a part of which shopkeepers will be vaccinated on priority, and they are being encouraged to get their customers to get vaccinated. We have increased the number of camps. Also, all ground staff have been tasked with getting people to vaccinate,” mentioned Bhargav.
According to Prithvipur SDPO Pandey, police have additionally held conferences with conventional healers asking them to encourage folks to get vaccinated. And, with Madhya Pradesh aiming to start out easing Covid curbs from June 15, shopkeepers “are also being asked to encourage at least five of their customers to get vaccinated”, he mentioned.
Reshu Soni, a neighborhood resident who was made to put on the badge with the cranium mark Tuesday, mentioned: “You feel bad about being stopped and made to wear the badge but there were many who were made to do it. It is part of something good.” Soni mentioned he managed to get his first dose at a neighborhood Primary Health Centre on Wednesday.
Sonu Vishwakarma, one other native resident who acquired a badge with the nationwide flag’s colors for having bought his first vaccine dose, mentioned: “This way of honouring and boycotting is better than getting beaten by police.”
