Nationwide second Covid vaccination dry run begins; Harsh Vardhan says inoculation to start in few days

New Delhi, Jan 08: The second run of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccine dry run for the rollout of coronavirus vaccination began on Friday in all districts across the country - except Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan visited Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai to review the dry run for administering the Covid-19 vaccine.

The dry run today will be conducted in 736 districts across 33 states and Union Territories.

''In short time, India has done well by developing vaccines... In the next few days, in the near future, we should be able to give these vaccines to our countrymen. It will be given to our healthcare professional followed by frontline workers,''he said.

Speaking at a press briefing, Vardhan said the government has ensured that every detail is conveyed to the people from the national level to the grassroots level.

''We've ensured that every detail is conveyed to the people from the national level to the grassroots level. Lakhs of healthcare workers trained & the process continues,'' he said.

''On January 2nd, we did dry run in almost 125 districts in the country and today, we are doing it across the country expect the three states who did it earlier,'' Harsh Vardhan said.

Harsh Vardhan also requested the NGOs working in the field of health to help in the smooth conduct of the vaccination program and mobilisation of beneficiaries in the best possible manner.

''Request the NGOs working in the field of health to help in the smooth conduct of the COVID19 vaccination program and mobilisation of beneficiaries in the best possible manner,''he added.

He added: "We were the first ones in the world to take a note of WHO announcement regarding Covid. One year ago, on January 8, we held a meeting of the health department officials regarding preparing ourselves."

The Centre has initiated the process of procuring the vaccine against COVID-19 after regulatory approvals were granted. This would mean that the vaccination drive could start by the end of next week in a phased manner.

Meanwhile transportation of the vaccine is expected to begin today or tomorrow. The government has allowed passenger aircraft to transport the vaccines. Pune will be the central hub from where the vaccine distribution will take place.

The government has identified 41 destinations across the country to be finalised for delivery. For northern India, Delhi and Karnal will be made the mini hubs. For eastern region it would be Kolkata. For southern India, the hubs would be Chennai and Hyderabad, whole for the north-east, Kolkata will be the nodal point.

Reports suggest that the first vaccine shots would be available by January 13.

The government will tap every human resource for the smooth implementation of the world's largest vaccine drive against COVID-19.

The guidelines say that each vaccination site would consist of at least three rooms and require a number of personnel to perform special duties. Vaccination Officer 1 would be the from the police, home guards, civil defence, the NCC, NSS. Their job would be to check the registration status of the recipient and sneer that the entry into the centre is regulated.

The duty of Vaccination Officer 2 would be to verify the identification of documents of the recipients.

Officer 3 will be the support staff who will responsible for crowd management and ensure that every recipient spends 30 minutes at the site after receiving the shot to see if there is any adverse reaction.

The vaccine would be administered by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, auxiliary nurse midwifes, lady health visitors.

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr VG Somani on Sunday announced approved the Oxford coronavirus vaccine and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, making it India's first vaccines against the coronavirus pandemic.

''Covid-19 vaccines- COVAXIN and COVISHIELD have been cleared for restricted use in emergency situation, DCGI, V G Somani said. "The vaccines will be administered in two dosages and Cadila will have three dosages ," Somani added.

"We'll never approve anything if there is slightest of safety concern. The vaccines are 100% safe. Some side effects like mild fever, pain and allergy are common for every vaccine. It (people may get impotent) is absolute rubbish," Somani said.