95% of above 45-years population vaccinated in Gurez: Govt

Around 95 percent of above 45-years population in Gurez Valley has been inoculated so far.

Dr Abu Bakr, who looks after the inoculation process and Covid-19 in Gurez said, “Around 95 percent of the population in the age group of 45 and above have been vaccinated.”

Muhammad Gani, 55, a resident of Gurez said that it was heartening to see that during pandemic somebody came looking for them with a vaccine in a remote village of Gurez.

Gurez is a mountainous valley, 85 km from Bandipora district headquarters.

One of the reasons vaccination drive reaching most in Gurez is that only a minuscule population of Dar-Shina tribe in the age group  of above 45-years resides in Gurez Valley as most natives have over the years migrated to Bandipora and Srinagar to escape tje harsh weather conditions of prolonged winters in the valley and the lack of basic amenities.

“With habitations in Gurez being remote, our health teams walked several kilometres to reach the people especially in Tulail and Bagtore to ensure testing and vaccination,” Dr Abu Bakr said. “The role of teachers, ASHA workers and health workers has been commendable as they reached to a population by carrying door-to-door vaccination campaign.”

In Gurez Valley, except for a few populated areas like Dawar, people mostly live in scattered habitations.

Tulail Valley is the farthest, which ultimately connects Gurez with Drass in Ladakh, but the route remains closed.