90% of Haryana Police personnel have received first dose of Covid vaccine: DGP

Ninety per cent of Haryana Police personnel have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 65 per cent have taken both doses, Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava said on Tuesday.

The Haryana Police has nearly 60,000 personnel, including home guards and Special Police Officers (SPOs).

The vaccination drive for police personnel, who are included in the frontline workers category, started on February 4.


"So far, 53,924 officers and jawans have got the first anti-Covid shot and more than 38,988 have received both doses," Yadava said in a statement.

He said 90 per cent of the police personnel have received the first dose and are waiting for the completion of the mandatory gap period to take the second dose.

Around 65 per cent of the police personnel have taken both doses of the vaccine, he added.

Yadava stressed that the protective shield of the vaccine is very important to prevent the infection. In addition, all precautions and safety guidelines must be followed.

"While working on the frontline, policemen have to protect themselves against the infection along with (ensuring) the safety of others. With a good pace of vaccination, we are striving to achieve the target of 100 per cent vaccination soon," he said.

Besides maintaining law and order, the DGP said, the police personnel took care of the elderly, ensured that the poor and needy got food and migrant workers and labourers returned home safely.

"After noticing the shortage of ambulances in the deadly second wave, more than 460 Innova vehicles were provided to all districts to transport infected patients free of cost to hospitals and back home," he said.

Besides this, police helped the patients in home isolation by ensuring home delivery of oxygen cylinders. Police's efforts in serving mankind were also recognised at the national level, he added.

Yadava said, "Today, as a result of collective efforts, the Covid death rate in the state has come down and the recovery rate is quite high. The infected police personnel have also joined duty after the recovery."

Out of the 6,547 police personnel who tested positive for COVID-19, 6,480 have recovered and returned to work and 67 are still infected, he said.

"Unfortunately, 45 personnel, including three Special Police Officers, have succumbed to the virus. Despite all this, our men and women in khaki are working very hard and performing their duty," he said.