Thimphu residents can now visit the identified vaccination post in their respective zones to avail themselves of the COVID-19 vaccine. With this, the date, time and venue assigned to them earlier through the online vaccine registration is nullified. This according to the health ministry is done to avoid confusion.
There are 15 super zones and 12 self-contained zones in the capital.
“What we are learning is that people have not put in their right addresses. Instead of putting their current addresses, they have put in their permanent addresses. As we are cleaning up the data, we realise these challenges. So that’s why we decided that if you are in your respective zone, your zone has your movement timing. You can use this timing to come to the vaccination site. So it’s not like in other timing you cannot come but we are recommending that you come during that time so that we can make fairly a good projection on how many will show up and we will have less crowding,” said Dechen Wangmo, the Health Minister.
People who have not registered will be facilitated with registration on the spot during the vaccination. Even those without a citizenship identity card, work permit, or driving license, can also apply for vaccination.
“Once he or she reaches the vaccination room, health workers will administer the vaccine and then write the time on the left hand. The clients will go to the observation room and it’s mandatory that the 30 minutes observation has to be maintained. Only after checking the time written on the left hand, they will be allowed to leave. While they are leaving, if they have side effects such as headache, fever, or other minor side effects, they should take the contact number of doctors that are displayed on the exit point so that respective doctors can attend or clients can reach to the doctors,” said Sangay Phuntsho, a Sr. Programme Officer with the Health Ministry.
Residents will have to visit the vaccination posts with their movement passes issued during the nationwide lockdowns last year. While the visiting time is similar to the time assigned for the movement passes, people without movement passes can visit the vaccination post from 4-5 pm.
People above 70 years old and those who cannot walk will not be vaccinated in the first week. Children below 18 years and who are vaccinated would be allowed to move within districts during vaccination time. Till yesterday, more than 500,000 have registered for vaccination.
Kelzang Choden/ Phub Tashi
