Maharashtra: Officials visit remote tribal villages to combat mistrust on COVID vaccination

Amravati (Maharashtra) [India], June 17 (ANI): Amravati district administration officers on Wednesday visited tribal-dominated remote villages to combat mistrust about the COVID-19 vaccine and counseling them to get inoculated.
"We had made a plan to visit villages. It is very important to tell villagers that we are here to take care of them after vaccination. We have also asked Sanpanchs to encourage villagers to get the vaccine." said an official during a visit to the Melghat region.
Another district administration official said that there are rumours among villagers. They think that if they take the vaccine they might die. "We are trying to put stop to the rumours and making them understand that nothing will happen to them," said an officer.
"The outsiders are spreading myths in our villages about the COVID vaccine. We formed a committee to combat mistrust and counselled them to get inoculated. We make them understand that nothing will happen to them because of the COVID vaccine. After that, some people took the vaccine and some of them are still left to take it. I think in two three days we will be able to vaccinate all," said Taka Singh Santurkar, a member of Gram Panchayat.

Kumari Nisha, a Gram Panchayat member told ANI that around 180 people have been administered the vaccine so far in her village.
"The myths about the vaccine is spreading from other villages that people might die after taking the vaccine. So the villagers do not want to take it. Through various campaigns and counselling sessions, we are trying to make them understand that vaccine is not harmful. It is very important to take the vaccine. Now many people have understood this and around 180 people have been administered the vaccine," she said.
A woman in the village who took the jab urged other people to get themselves vaccinated.
"We were afraid, but now I have taken the vaccine and nothing had happened. I urge people to take vaccines because it for our good health," said a villager after taking the jab. (ANI)