Mechanism laid in eight districts for vaccination

The health ministry has prepared a detailed checklist and shared it with the four states to guide them in the dry run. “The central government is gearing up for the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccine across the country. As the vaccine administrators will play an important role in the immunisation process, training of trainers and those who shall administer the vaccine has been taken up across various states,” the ministry said. Eight districts in four states of Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat have been chosen by the Centre to assess the readiness of the mechanism laid out for the vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The two-day dry run will be held on December 28 and 29, officials have said.
“The dry run is being conducted to mobilise all elements involved in Covid-19 vaccination drive that is planned for next year to test the vaccine delivery machinery. All elements except for the vaccine will be mobilised,” a senior official in the Union ministry of health and family welfare said requesting anonymity.
According to officials, five sites in each of the two districts in a state are likely to be established for the purpose of vaccinating beneficiaries. “Two districts each from all these four states have been identified where this dry run will be conducted simultaneously on these two days,” another health ministry official, who too did not want to be named, said.
Special focus will be to check how possible adverse events following immunisation will be dealt with as each session site will have a designated health care facility linked to it to treat people who may develop any discomfort or uneasiness post-vaccination. It will also focus on how infection control practices will be adhered to during vaccination at the session site so that it doesn’t become ground for disease transmission.