ARA/CHHAPRA: With a view to increasing the Covid vaccine coverage primarily in rural areas, religious leaders and clerics have been roped in for spreading awareness about the inoculation drive among the masses.
The initiative has started bearing fruit in Bhojpur district where the administration has sought the support of religious leaders as well as youngsters.
A large number of beneficiaries, including women and girls, from the minority communities are now arriving at the vaccination centres.
During a recent meeting with priests, maulanas and pastors, the commissioner of the Ara Municipal Corporation, Vaibhav Shrivastava, requested them to dispel myths, rumours and misinformation regarding the vaccination drive.
The religious leaders claimed that they and their family members had been vaccinated and promised that they would disseminate correct information among their respective communities.
In a video message, M Hasnain, a religious leader of Ara, said, “The Covid-19 vaccine had no adverse effect on me or other maulanas I know.
I, therefore, urge everyone to get themselves inoculated in order to keep others safe amid the pandemic.” Lending support to the vaccination drive, Sanjay Mishra, the main priest of the Aaranya Devi Temple, pointed out, “I received the first dose of the vaccine on April 24 and have not faced any health issues since then.
Hence, I advise others to get inoculated as well.” Meanwhile, religious leaders in Saran have also appealed to their followers to come forward for vaccination.
As many as 7,532 people received vaccine shots in the district on Thursday.
A D Masih, the pastor of Cox Memorial Church, has been encouraging people to get themselves vaccinated as “this is the only way to protect ourselves from the deadly virus”.
“A large number of people belonging to the Christian community have already taken both the doses,” he said.
Maulana Nisar Ahmed Misbahi from Sahebganj, Mufti Mohammad Waliullah Qudir from Chhapra and Hazi Aftab Alam Khan from Barhampur also busted myths related to vaccination.
“It is our responsibility to save ourselves and others by taking vaccine shots, wearing masks and keeping distance,” they said.