As our nation is reeling under the ‘second wave’ of COVID-19, a third wave of the deadly virus is now spreading across other parts of the world. The increasing number of cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 are continuing to be a nightmare for us all. In this context, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth (CVV) organised a mass vaccination drive at its Chinmaya Eswar Gurukula campus, in Ernakulam, on 09 April 2021. CVV tied up with the Primary Health Care Centre in Thottur for the administration of the COVID vaccine, especially for CVV employees, Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF) sevaks and the villagers of Edakkattuvayal Grama Panchayath on a priority basis.
Over 300 persons were vaccinated with the vaccine through a streamlined process that included early web registration, onsite check-in, vaccination and 30-minute resting. The Vice Chancellor Prof. Nagaraj K. Neerchal too had his vaccine shot at the drive.
This campaign was organised with the support of Dr. Bhavya R. Prasad (Medical Officer, Thottur PHC), Mr. Jomon Mathew (Health Inspector), and other staff of the Public Health Department. In the days leading up to the camp, the University’s SEVA volunteers played an active role in the outreach efforts to both propagate the campaign and registration information as well as help many with the actual website registration process.
On the day of the camp, CVV provided water and snacks to the volunteers, health professionals and to those vaccinated. Further camps are planned in the upcoming weeks to cover all eligible population sectors in even greater numbers.
The student volunteers were:
- Rajesh Kumar – Third-year B.A. Sanskrit
- Vengakathuru Ramaprasad Rameshwar – Second-year B.Com.
- Ujwal Chavan – Second-year BBA
- Dhanavendh Mavoothu – First-year BBA
- Indumathi K – Second-year B.A. Applied Psychology
- S Abirami – Final-year M.Sc. Applied Psychology
- Machiraju Venkata Naga Havisha– Second-year B.A. Applied Psychology
- Ajay Venkatesh – Second-year BBA
- Samana M – Second-year IM
- Trupti Padmaresan – Third-year B.A. Applied Psychology
- K. L. Meenakshi Nair– First-year B.Sc. Applied Psychology