Phub Dem

Finance minister Namgay Tshering, who is in Paro to witness the annual tsechu, will take the first Covid-19 jab today in Deyankha, Paro.

The lam neten, members of parliament and local leaders will also take the jab in the dzong.

Health officials and tshogpas set up vaccination centres in the villages. Paro has 36 vaccination centres.

According to dzongkhag health officer, Choki Wangmo, 12 vaccination posts would be open to the public today. “Others would open every consecutive day.”

Vaccination centres at the community health unit at Paro hospital and flu clinic will remain open to the public for a week. In contrast, Dogar and Naja gewog vaccination posts will be available for five days.

As of yesterday, 33,483 people registered for the vaccination of the 34,910 projected population in Paro.

Choki Wangmo said that the first week would only cater to people who do not have a medical condition and within the age frame above 18 to 70 years.

To avoid crowding, she said that the local leaders were asked to inform their respective residents to maintain specific timing.

In the other eight gewogs, the vaccination posts will remain open for a day or two.

Choki Wangmo said that the health taskforce would deploy enough people to cover the whole population in the chiwogs within a day or two.

Paro dzongdag Tenzin Thinley clarified that people could travel to other dzongkhag after vaccination.

He said that the health team and Desuups were already at the remote village, Nubri and Yaktsa.

Aligning with tendrel, the ‘first to receive’ vaccines in every centre was identified from the community based on their age. Lagay outreach clinic in Dogar gewog will start the vaccination programme by vaccinating a 30-year-old female born in the Buddhist year of the monkey.

In the meantime, officiating Haa dzongdag, Phurba Wangdi said vaccination centres at seven clusters, including six gewogs and municipal, would remain open for a week, and the health team would visit each chiwog to provide the services.

There are 27 vaccination centres in Haa.

The vaccination programme will start from Lhakhang Karpo by vaccinating a 30-year-old female born in monkey year and a nurse with the same age would provide the vaccination.

Haa has 8,545 people eligible for the vaccination and 7425 had registered.

Phurpa Wangdi said about 100 people are not willing to take the vaccination. “Through awareness programme, about 97 per cent of the population are willing to take the jab.”