Page 12 - The Indian EYE 010121

NATION JANUARY 01, 2021 | The Indian Eye 12

vaccine rOllOut

830 million syringes, 700 districts and dry-

run with 96,000 vaccinators

With the approval of first vaccine of AstraZeneca, the inoculation

program expected to begin as early as next week

Our Bureau this purpose. “2,360 participants

New Delhi have been trained in National
Training of Trainers and over
ndia moved closer to the 57,000 participants trained in
rollout of its vaccination District level training in 719 dis-
Iplan against Covid-19 with tricts. States are augmenting the
the subject expert committee State helpline 104 (which shall
of the drug regulator on Friday be used in addition to 1075) for
recommending emergency-use any vaccine/software related
authorization (EUA) for Serum query. Orientation and capacity
Institute of India’s “Covishield”, building of the Call Centre ex-
developed by Oxford University ecutives has taken place in the
and AstraZeneca. States/UTs.”
Terming the approval for Ox-
ford-AstraZeneca vaccine for ahead of the dry-run for
use in the UK as a “big step for-
ward”, AIIMS Delhi Director Dr union health and Family welfare minister Dr harsh Vardhan holds a meet- CovId-19 vaccine in the
Randeep Guleria on Wednes- ing to evaluate the preparedness for a dry run of administering COVID-19 national capital, union
day said that India will have the vaccine in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI)
COVID-19 vaccine within days. health minister harsh
“This is very good news that As- rum Institute of India on Mon- ness for the vaccine rollout. vardhan on friday held a
traZeneca got approval for its day said 40-50 million doses of The objective of the dry run
vaccine by UK regulatory au- COVID-19 vaccine have al- for COVID-19 vaccine intro- review meeting with the
thorities. They have robust data ready been stockpiled, adding duction is to assess operational delhi government officials
and in India and the same vac- that Covishield rollout is ex- feasibility in the use of Co-WIN
cine is being developed by the pected in January. application in field environment, for the preparations of the
Serum Institute of India. This is a In anticipation of the to test the linkages between mock drill, which is sched-
big step forward not only for In- much-awaited COVID-19 vac- planning and implementation
dia but many parts of the world,” cine, the government has placed and to identify the challenges uled for January 2.
Guleria told ANI in an interview. orders for procurement of near- and guide way forward prior to
When asked about how ly 83 crore (830 million) syringes actual implementation. The minister was speaking to
much time is needed for the to be used for coronavirus vac- The planning for the vaccine the Delhi government officials
roll-out of COVID vaccine in cination and the Universal Im- introduction will be as per the via video-conference. He said
the country, Dr Guleria said, munization Programme, a state- operational guidelines issued the procedure of the vaccina-
“Now, we have a data, and Ox- ment from the Union Health by the Ministry on December tion drive is similar to the elec-
ford-AstraZeneca vaccine has Ministry informed on Thursday. 20, 2020. The States/UTs have tion preparations. “The proce-
been approved based on the According to the statement, been asked to ensure physical dure of the vaccination drive is
studies in UK, Brazil and South bids have been invited for 35 verification of all proposed sites the same as the election. In any
Africa. There is also data from crore (350 million) more syring- for adequacy of space, logistical election, we train people at the
Serum Institute of India (SII). es and as many as 36,433 ven- arrangements, internet connec- booth the same way. We need
I think, once the data is shown tilators have been delivered to tivity, electricity and safety. more manpower so we have to
to the regulatory authority, we government hospitals across the The dry run will also equip train the people here who can
should get approval for the vac- country in the last nine months the State and UT administra- look after the proposed benefi-
cine in the county within a few With the objective of gearing tion in management of vaccine ciaries,” Vardhan said.
days. I would say days rather up for the rollout of COVID-19 supply, storage and logistics in- “Over 2,000 master trainers
than weeks or months.” vaccine across the country, the cluding cold chain management. at the national level have been
In what could be termed as central government has asked According to Health Minis- trained. Training at state and dis-
New Year gift, Adar Poonawal- all States and Union Territories try said that around 96,000 vac- trict level is underway in over 700
la, Chief Executive Officer, Se- to ensure effective prepared- cinators have been trained for districts,” the minister added.

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