Chandigarh, May 13: The Government of Punjab is going to commence a free COVID vaccination campaign for people with specified Co-morbidities in 18-44 years age group and for the families of Private and Government Healthcare workers from Friday (14th May)
Disclosing this Health Minister Mr.Balbir Singh Sidhu said that for this campaign, 157 COVID Vaccination Centres have been set up across the state.
Mr. Sidhu said that under this campaign people aged between 18-44 years having one or multiple specified co-morbidities from the list of 22 co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated. Anyone suffering from these specific co-morbidities can visit the nearest vaccination centre with valid ID proof and a valid prescription/certificate from the doctor.
Besides this, family members of healthcare workers can also visit these centres to get themselves vaccinated.
Health Minister said that 18-44 years age group vaccination has been launched in a phased manner and vulnerable and high-risk population groups are being covered first. All the eligible beneficiaries in this age group will be vaccinated soon. He said that so far, 41,33,561 people have been inoculated in the state. A total of 34,40,356 people have received the 1st dose while 6,93,205 people are fully vaccinated with the 2nd dose. The state has received 43,07,640 doses till date, out of which 1 Lakh doses are procured by the state itself for this age group.
Mr. Sidhu appealed to everyone to get jab at the earliest and to follow the Covid Appropriate Behaviours as these are the only ways to fight the pandemic.
List of specified Comorbidities for determination of eligibility of citizens in age group 18 to 44 years
| SN | Criterion |
| 1 | Heart Failure with hospital admission in past one year |
| 2 | Post Cardiac Transplant/Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) |
| 3 | Significant Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF <40%) |
| 4 | Moderate or Severe Valvular Heart Disease |
| 5 | Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH |
| 6 | Coronary Artery Disease with past CABG/PTCA/MI AND Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment |
| 7 | Angina AND Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment |
| 8 | CT/MRI documented stroke AND Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment |
| 9 | Pulmonary artery hypertension AND Hypertension/Diabetes on treatment |
| 10 | Diabetes (> 10 years OR with complications) AND Hypertension on treatment |
| 11 | Kidney/ Liver/ Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/On wait-list |
| 12 | End Stage Kidney Disease on haemodialysis/ CAPD |
| 13 | Current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/ immunosuppressant medications |
| 14 | Decompensated cirrhosis |
| 15 | Severe respiratory disease with hospitalizations in last two years/FEV1 <50% |
| 16 | Lymphoma/ Leukaemia/ Myeloma |
| 17 | Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after 1st July 2020 OR currently on any cancer therapy |
| 18 | Sickle Cell Disease/ Bone marrow failure/ Aplastic Anemia/ Thalassemia Major |
| 19 | Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/ HIV infection |
| 20 | Persons with disabilities due to Intellectual disabilities/ Muscular Dystrophy/ Acid attack with involvement of respiratory system/ Persons with disabilities having high support needs/ Multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness |
| 21 | Obesity ( BMI >= 30 kg/m2) |
| 22 | Any other multiple chronic morbidities as determined by treating physician |
