In pictures: India witnesses COVID vaccine dry run across all states and UTs

New Delhi, Jan 02: An expert panel of India's Central Drug Authority has recommended granting permission for restricted emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, paving the way for the roll-out of the first Covid-19 shot in the country in the next few days.

All states and Union Territories, meanwhile, have begun conducting a dry run for Covid-19 vaccination to test the linkages between planning and implementation. The activity is proposed to be conducted in all state capitals in at least 3 session sites.

Delhi

All the sites will have a three-room setup - one waiting room, one vaccination room, and an observation room.

A team of four people - one person to check the documents, one to check the registration of the beneficiaries, one to monitor the person, and one to control the crowd - will be present.

Karnataka

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday that Covid-19 vaccine will be provided free of cost across the country.

The teams will have a vaccine carrier (cold box) that will be used to transport vaccines at the temperature they are meant to be stored from the cold chain points to the vaccination sites.

Maharashtra

While reviewing preparations for vaccine dry run in Delhi the Minister said to reporters, "Not just in Delhi, it (vaccine) will be free across the country."

On asking about the vaccine drill he said, "feedbacks received after the dry run in 4 states were included in guidelines for vaccination and today's dry run in all states/UTs is being conducted as per new guidelines. Except for giving actual vaccine, every procedure is being followed during the drill."

Andhra Pradesh

Notably, the government has already successfully conducted a two-day pilot Covid-19 vaccination drive in eight districts in four states on December 28-29, but Saturday's dry run is more ambitious in scope, covering all state capitals, with some states also testing the process' efficiency in districts located in difficult terrain or which are poorly connected.