It is satisfying to note that sixteen out of twenty districts of Jammu and Kashmir have achieved 100% coverage of first dose Covid vaccine for the age group of above 18 years. The districts which achieved this target are Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Doda, Ganderbal, Jammu, Kathua, Kulgam, Poonch, Pulwama, Rajouri, Ramban, Samba, Shopian and Srinagar. As per official data available 13,430,141 doses have been administered so far covering 99.89 percent of the population above the age of 18 years in the Union Territory. The administration, health workers and all those involved in the vaccination campaign need to be appreciated for carrying on a successful drive. People of the Union Territory too deserve appreciation who exhibited a scientific temper and instead of falling prey to earlier inhibition, defeated the vaccine hesitancy. In such campaigns, it the public that has the potential to make or break and fortunately people of Jammu and Kashmir choose the former path. Covid-19 has played havoc with the world killing millions of people besides destroying the economies and education. Credit goes to the scientists who worked tirelessly to make vaccines that could defeat the deadly spread of the pandemic and thus helped saving human lives. In the early stages of rolling out the vaccines, some people in Jammu and Kashmir showed some hesitancy but credit goes to the administration, political, social and religious leaders who convinced people to take the jab and the result is very much encouraging.
That said, while the administration is fast reaching the 100% mark of the vaccination of people above the age of 18 years, people need to understand that despite getting vaccinated, the Covid-19 SOPs are a must. Medical experts continue to insist that coronavirus can be defeated, or at least contained, only if people take strict precautions in terms of following the Covid-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). However, there are some alarming reports suggesting that some people still don’t take the risks involved seriously and roam around without taking the necessary precautions. The trend of violating SOPs is worrisome and the masses need to adopt Covid-19 SOPs as a new normal because nothing will change immediately. Despite the vaccination drive, the virus is not going to vanish overnight and therefore taking extreme precautions is the only way to ensure safety from this invisible enemy. It is every individual’s responsibility to ensure that he/she helps in breaking the chain of infection and that is possible only if everyone adheres to ongoing SOPs.
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While the remaining population should get vaccinated as soon as possible, the SOPs still remain the only measure to defeat the virus. People should not become complacent as the medical experts are continuously suggesting that even after getting vaccinated following of SOPs is a must. Wearing masks, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently are the new norms and people should prepare themselves to follow these for a longer period.
