Srinagar: A remote snowbound hamlet in Kashmir’s Bandipora district- Weyan- has become the first village in the country where the entire population from the age group of 15 years and above has been vaccinated against COVID-19, health officials in Kashmir said on Thursday.
Like other parts of the country, J&K began vaccinating 15 to 18 year olds from January 3. The vaccination started at a time when there was a sharp surge in Covid-19 cases.
Located on the foothills of famous Harmukh peak- the village Weyan is 28 km from Bandipora town and the vaccinators had to walk at least 14 kms to the snowbound village to inoculate every teenager in the village. The village has around 170 households and is inhabited by Gujjar people.
Block Medical Officer Bandipora Dr Masrat Iqbal the village has no road connectivity and no communication and they deputed a team from the health department from Bandipora to inoculate 56 teenagers in the village.
“The vaccinators went by foot to the remote village and stayed there for three days and night and vaccinated 100 per cent from the age group of 15 years above, “ said Iqbal, who is also the Nodal officer Covid 19 district Bandipora. “The village has around 4 feet of snow.”
Iqbal said that the remote village has a total of 362 people and it was also the country’s first village to inoculate all its adult population in 2021.
The health officials besides vaccinating the children also carried out Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) of the entire population in the village.
“Not a single person tested positive for the Covid,” the nodal officer said.
“The village having around 170 households is inhabited by both Gujjar and the Kashmiri people and has become the first village in the country to achieve the distinction,” he said.
According to health officials, J&K has been a front runner among the States/Union Territories in vaccinating the eligible population with the Covid vaccine.
The J&K administration achieved the completion of 1 Crore doses of Covid vaccination as early as September 18, 2021.
Subsequently, 100 per cent administration of the first dose in the 18 and above age group was achieved on October 14, 2021.
It was on January 12, 2022, the administration achieved 100 per cent vaccination of the second dose coverage in the 18 and above age groups. (UNI)
