At a time when the Government has intensified the Covid-19 vaccination drive across the State, residents of Champakana village under Kailashpur panchayat of Kolnara block in Rayagada district fled their locality to evade vaccination on Wednesday.
As no one turned up to receive jab, a team of the Health Department, which had visited the village to administer vaccine, returned without vaccinating anyone. Notably, earlier on June 7, local healthcare officials had managed to convince the superstitious villagers to receive the vaccine. Accordingly, on Wednesdat a team of vaccinators reached the village with 100 doses of vaccine.
As no one came forward to receive vaccine till noon, the team had to return. Some locals told the team that the villagers fled the area fearing vaccination.
Kolnara Community Health Centre (CHC) Officer Dr G Sailaja said the villagers ran away after arrival of the team. Despite being requested multiple times for vaccination, they didn’t agree to be vaccinated, the officer added.
