Officials kickstart booster dose vaccination campaign for citizens above 60 years in Jammu and Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir government today rolled out the booster vaccine doses to citizens above the age of 60 years, health workers and frontline workers. The lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir started the process by taking the first vaccination booster dose in Jammu.

In Kashmir, the Director of health Mushtaq Ahmad Rather along with IGP Police Vijay Kumar took the booster dose at Police Hospital in Srinagar. Around 6,88,286 lakh people are to be administered these booster doses during this drive. Among them are 1,06245 Health workers, 3,17,631 lakhs are frontline workers which include police and paramilitary forces, and 2,64,410 people above 60 years of age with comorbidities. 

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''I along with IG Kashmir Police took the booster dose here. Police have always given us a lot of support from the beginning. There were hardly any Policemen admitted in hospitals during the second wave as they were all vaccinated. We have taken these booster doses together with them so as to send a message to save ourselves and then the people. We have a target of more than 6 lakh people during this drive and we will complete it within days. We will do door-to-door vaccinations as well. Our people reached last time also to far-flung areas despite the snow, we have kept stock in the areas where snowfall took place so that our drive is not hampered. '' said Mushtaq Ahmad Rather, Director Health Kashmir. 

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The Jammu and Kashmir government says they have a stock of more than 3 lakh vaccines at present. There is ample stock in far-flung areas of the Kashmir Valley which are cut off due to snowfall. The police department of Kashmir has been at the forefront and hundreds of Policemen got a booster shot during the first day of the drive. The police IGP was the first one to get a booster shot to set an example for the policemen to come forward and take the booster shot. 

''Government has started the process today, I think it's important for all frontline workers to get booster shots, Police have maximum interaction with the public and I think it's important for them to get the booster shot. I congratulate everyone. Kashmir police is a role model and I appeal to everyone to take this booster dose. '' said Vijay Kumar, IG Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir have been one of the top states in the country to get the maximum number of people vaccinated. The first and second drive of vaccination was a great success according to the government. They are expecting that in this drive also, people will come forward and they will achieve the target of vaccinating everyone.