Erroneous messages trouble health staff

COWIN GLITCHES

Erroneous messages trouble health staff

Nithya.Mandyam@timesgroup.com

02.02.2021

Bengaluru: Over 120 healthcare workers have received messages saying they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 even though most of them had not received the vaccine. In fact, some said they received messages that they had been ‘fully vaccinated’, implying that they had been administered both doses, 28 days apart.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials blamed technical issues with the CoWIN portal for the confusion. Data accessed by TOI shows 121 people have got such messages, but more than 90% of them had not got the first dose. Since the vaccination drive began only on January 16, the second dose for those who received the vaccine on launch day can be administered only later this week.

Jagadeesh K, a Group D worker at a private hospital, said he was worried when he got the message and wondered whether he would get the vaccine at all.

“On January 24, many of my colleagues and I were due to get the jab. But since I was not well, I didn’t go to the hospital. I was resting at home when I got a message saying I had been administered the first dose and the second dose would be given 28 days later. The truth is I didn’t get the first dose,” Jagadeesh said.

An orthopaedic surgeon in a government hospital said he was marked ‘fully vaccinated’ although he wasn’t inoculated even once. “When I got the text, I was worried because I had not got even the first dose,” he said. “I have not been infected, so I thought I might just skip taking the vaccine. But my family was keen on me taking the doses,” he said.

The doctor later approached his hospital officials who promised to take up the issue with the concerned authorities.

Rajendra Cholan, special commissioner (health), BBMP, said: “When the vaccination drive initially began, the portal had two options — partially completed and fully vaccinated. But due to glitches, many times fully vaccinated was clicked, leading to confusion.”

He said the glitches will be fixed soon.“Those who have been marked vaccinated although they have not got the jab need not worry. They will all get the vaccine,” Cholan told TOI.