After resentment from young HCWs, on-site registrations allowed for vax

new delhi: After several representations from doctors' association and legitimate concerns of young doctors and healthcare workers, the Centre on Monday allowed on-site registrations for healthcare workers and frontline workers, essentially reversing an earlier order stopping all new registrations for COVID-19 vaccinations under these categories.

While the government had cited instances of people misidentifying themselves to get ahead to issue the order, many young healthcare workers who were and are on the frontlines felt betrayed.

Dr Sandhya, a postgraduate medical student at Maulana Azad Medical College undergoing OBGYN training at Lok Nayak Hospital said: "This is not right, the vaccine should be given to every healthcare worker who has the possibility of being exposed to the virus."

Ajay Puthal, a final-year undergraduate medical student, also at Maulana Azad Medical College, however, differed in his views. "While every citizen should be vaccinated, going by the sheer number of people who need to be vaccinated, I feel those who are most vulnerable should be prioritised", he said. He also said that scientists studying the effects of the vaccine might find it difficult to do their work if all age groups are mixed.

All of the healthcare workers who spoke to Millennium Post have already been administered the vaccine but agree unanimously that with rising infections, those who have not will be put at greater risk of exposure.

While the younger doctors said that there should be some mechanism to register as healthcare workers, senior doctors such as Dr Arun Yadav at Hindu Rao said that they had faith that a revision will come allowing for such a mechanism.

"Technically speaking, this order is not right. When we talk about healthcare workers, we cannot forget to include the fresh crop of interns and junior residents who join teaching hospitals and medical colleges across the country every year. Every year, new healthcare workers join, they are expected to work with COVID-19 patients too, so it is only logical that they should also be eligible for the vaccine", he said. Notably, Hindu Rao has vaccinated all students of its affiliated colleges.