Padmshri Dr K K Aggarwal

India:

1. April 9: Three elderly women were recently administered rabies vaccine when they went to get COVID-19 jab in Kandhla area of Shamli in western Uttar Pradesh. The incident came to light when one of the women felt side-effects such as dizziness and nausea after the inoculation. When she approached a private doctor, she showed him the slip handed over to her at the community health centre. It mentioned she was given rabies vaccine. The doubt was confirmed when we asked if they need to submit copies of their Aadhaar cards. The official on duty said Aadhaar card is not needed in vaccination against dog bite. The affected women are in their late 60s and early 70s. Instead of approaching the COVID-19 vaccine OPD [outpatient department], they stood in the line at general OPD and said ‘tika laga do’ [get us vaccinated]. Ms. Kaur told The Hindu that prima facie it appeared to be a lapse by the pharmacist because even if they stood in the wrong line, the question arose how the decision was taken to give them rabies vaccine.

2. 3rd April: Kamlesh Kumari, a woman in her 50s, was administered with both doses of Covid-19 vaccine in one-go at a primary health centre in Akbarpur area of Kanpur Dehat district. The health worker who was involved in this mishap was reportedly on a phone call when the incident happened. The incident occurred in Akbarpur area of Kanpur Dehat district in UP where health worker Archana ended up giving Kamlesh Kumari, a woman in her 50s, two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.