Since India began the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16, third healthcare worker who was vaccinated against coronavirus earlier this month has died in Telangana.
According to an India Today report, the deceased has been identified as a 55-year-old female healthcare worker. She was a resident of Kasipet village in Telangana's Mancherial district. She had received the vaccine on January 19.
The healthcare worker had started experiencing shortness of breath and giddiness earlier this week. She was then admitted to Medilife Hospital in Mancherial. Later, she was referred to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad where she passed away on Saturday, January 30.
Meanwhile, officials with the Telangana government's health department said the cause of death was not due to the vaccination. She died due to "cardio-respiratory arrest triggered by multiple morbidities such as Kyphoscoliosis with restricted lung disease, respiratory infection with type-2 respiratory failure and accelerated hypertension with left ventricular failure," officials said.
Besides, Telangana Health Minister E Rajender said the state government would set up a mechanism to counsel and instill confidence among those health workers who registered for COVID-19 vaccine but withdraw due to apprehensions.
Addressing a Special Virtual Talk on COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday by Telangana State Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Trade (TSFCCT), Rajender said some people have fear of getting inoculated due to 'unreliable and unscientific' news being spread about the COVID-19 vaccines.
"Today people need more confidence and courage. To dispel these alleged fears, I volunteered to take the vaccine.
Today 25 to 30 per cent health workers still have not taken the vaccine," he said.
Telangana so far has received eight 8 lakh doses.
(With PTI inputs)
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