Hyderabad: The government of Telangana on Wednesday recognised journalists as COVID front-line workers and decided to vaccinate them along with high-risk groups from May 28.
The vaccination for about 20,000 journalists will be arranged through the department of information and public relations.
In all 7.87 lakh individuals from high-risk groups will be vaccinated during the three-day special drive.
They include three lakh cab drivers and autorickshaw drivers, three lakh workers in vegetable, meat, flower markets, kirana and saloon shops, 80,000 people from civil supplies and 30,000 from fertilisers and pesticide shops.
On the direction of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the officials had on Monday identified super spreaders in view of their profession.
They include LPG delivery staff, fair price shop dealers, petrol pump workers, auto and cab drivers, vendors in rythu bazaars, fruit, vegetable and flower markets, kirana shops, liquor shops and non-vegetarian markets.
Director of Public Health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao told reporters that the state currently has stocks of 6.18 lakh doses of Covishield and 2.5 lakh doses of Covaxin procured by the state government.
The state expects to receive another 3.35 lakh doses of Covishield and 2.5 lakh doses of Covaxin in the first week of June.
He said the state has so administered vaccine to over 56 lakh people. Three lakh beneficiaries would be administered second dose by the end of May.
In view of black fungus cases, the post-COVID outpatient services have been launched in government hospitals.
The official said the ENT Hospital in Hyderabad has over 240 black fungus cases. The hospital is conducting nearly 20 surgeries every day and the number will be doubled.
He said COVID OP services were being offered at 1,500 healthcare centres across the state. The authorities during the door to door fever survey have so far identified 2.7 lakh people with COVID symptoms and distributed medicine kits to them.