Shillong, Jan 16: 35, year-old Sharlestin Susngi from Nongmynsong Shillong became the first person to be vaccinated for the Coronavirus in Shillong. He is a sanitation worker from North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institution of Health and Medical Science (NEIGRIHMS).
“I am very happy that I became the first person to be vaccinated here, we have been waiting for a long for this day when vaccination will be available, and finally it’s here,” Susngi said.

The Director of NEIGRIHMS Dr. P. Bhattacjarjee said, ” It is Mr. Sharlestin Susngi who was given first vaccination at NEIGRIHMS.”

Apparently, NEIGRIHMS is the only hospital identified in Shillong for the vaccination drive for the first phase.

While referring to the Direction of the Central Government which says the first person to be vaccinated should be a sanitation worker, Medical Superintendent of NEIGRIHMS Dr. (Prof.) Suvamoy Chakraborty said, “According to the Government of India notification the first beneficiary should be the health care workers particularly our sanitation people, so the first two sanitation people they have received the vaccination.”

He also mentioned that he himself and the Director also were vaccinated thereafter. Experience till now I do not have any problem, no pain and I am absolutely alright,” the MS said.

A total of 832 health care workers of Meghalaya are vaccinated on the first day as the Vaccination rolled out on Saturday. Around 10 sites in 9 districts of Meghalaya we’re selected for the first phase.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the most common ENT dysfunctions observed in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 are cough, mainly dry, sore throat and dyspnea. Rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and dizziness may also be present. Coronavirus could also manifest as sudden hyposmia or anosmia not accompanied by any other symptom

“I am heading the department of ENT as the professor HOD, we were very much exposed to Coronavirus because you don’t know which patient is harbouring that infection since last one year we had a very difficult time because we had to take the protection at the same time we had to examine the patients also and my staff randomly had to go and see the patients in the coronavirus area because these are the patients which had particularly Anosmia, so were exposed so today all my staffs from Department of ENT are taking the vaccination,” the HOD of ENT NEIGRIHMS said.

Reaffirming faith in the Government, he said, “We got vaccinated because we want to protect ourselves because you have seen in social media about the hue and cry about the hiccups we just ignore those things because Government is providing us facilities because the Government wants to protect us and it is my duty to take that I want to protect me. “

A new digital platform called ‘Co-WIN’ is being used for COVID-19 vaccination delivery. It is an online digital platform developed by the Health Ministry to facilitate real-time information of vaccination stocks, storage temperature and tracking of the vaccine recipients.

This project aims to help people get encrypted digital copies of their immunization records stored in a digital wallet of their choice.

Talking about the Digital intervention that made the entire system smooth, Dr. Chakraborty said, “Yesterday I received one message alert saying I have registered and my timing is this so through that app because I have registered the message automatically comes to me and now before taking the second dose it will come to me again that will remind me of my next vaccination date so that I should not forget so once it has been developed the technology we can use it.”

Earlier, talking about the launch of this vaccination Drive, Commissioner Secretary Health and Family Welfare Sampath Kumar said, “Today we started the vaccination programme Prime Minister has launched it across the country and after his speech, we started the programme, Director NEIGRIHMS and Medical Superintendent both have taken the vaccine and after 30 mins they are here, it started off well across the state we have 10 sites and in all the ten sites it started well with a very positive note that all the health care workers being covered in the first phase.”

Stating that chances of getting Coronavirus are more than the chances of getting reaction due to the vaccines, Director North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institution of Health and Medical Science (NEIGRIHMS) said, “The scientist have done their job they had their trails do you think the multi-billion are going to be invested given to people and it is we are so foolish that to think the reaction is likely and we are giving design to it.”
“They have been tested and certified for emergency use, why emergency use because it is an emergency,” he added.

Around 16,000 health care workers will be vaccinated in the first phase as Meghalaya receives 35,000 doses. The second dose will be given 28 days after the first dose.