Beneficiaries get messages about completion of Covid-19 vaccination without getting second doses

Redwan Uddin Laskar, a journalist from Assam’s Cachar, received his first Covid-19 vaccine dose on April 8 and looked forward to his second jab. But hours after he received his first dose, he got a message on his mobile phone that his vaccination has been completed. “Now I have the final vaccination certificate without getting the vaccine,” said Laskar.

A health worker, who did not want to be named, echoed Laskar. “I was planning to visit the [local] health centre [for the second dose] on 45th day but… I got a message [about completion of the vaccination]. Now I am confused whether they will give me the second dose at all.”

Many vaccine beneficiaries in the region have said that from April 7, they started getting messages that they have completed the course by receiving second doses without actually getting them. The messages contain a link through which they can get the final vaccination certificate.

Some of them have downloaded the certificates which have doctors, who injected them the first dose, confirming that the second has also been given.

District immunisation officer Sumona Naiding said the messages have been sent in a handful of cases. “We are trying to determine the source of the error. It is not happening in the Cachar district only. We have heard that people in other districts also have received the same message without getting the second dose,” she said.

“I would suggest the person who received the SMS to visit the vaccination centre immediately and furnish the certificate and get the second dose,” she added.