Health department to vaccinate vets, dog catchers

Even as efforts to contain the stray dog menace pick up momentum, the Health department has launched special anti-rabies vaccination for government staff who come in contact with animals, including dogs, for their vaccination and sterilisation. The Animal Husbandry and the Local Self-government departments are conducting vaccination and sterilisation surgery for dogs. There have been instances of some of their employees getting bitten by dogs during the course of their work. The special vaccination has been launched against this backdrop. It will be given to veterinarians, livestock inspectors, those who catch animals, and those handling them. Minister for Health Veena George and Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani have appealed to all persons who come in contact with animals to take the anti-rabies vaccination. An expert panel of the Health Department has prepared guidelines for the anti-rabies vaccination and handed it over the Animal Husbandry and Local Self-government departments. The vaccine will be administered by categorising those who have received vaccines earlier and those who have not. Those who have not taken the vaccine earlier will be administered three doses. They should come in contact with animals only after 21 days. Those who have taken partial vaccination and those who have no records of having received the vaccine should take the three doses. People who have been administered the vaccine earlier and those have not taken the booster dose in the past two years will be given one booster dose. Only then should they come in contact with animals. Those who have completed their vaccination and begin work but are again bitten by animals would be given two jabs at regular intervals. They will come under the re-exposure category. One person will be given 0.1 ml vaccine. Training for the special vaccination is being given to Health Department staff in all districts. Animal Husbandry and Local Self-government staff are also being sensitised to the first aid to be adopted in the case of dog bites and the importance of vaccination.