Chandigarh, January 12: Captain Amarinder Singh led PunjabGovernment is fully geared up for vaccination of Health Care Workers (HCWs) at110 sites on January 16. A total of 20,450 vials today received as each vialhas 10 doses of vaccines which is to be given to the beneficiary in two doses28 days apart.
Disclosing this, the Health Minister Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhusaid that after a long wait, first batch of corona vaccine namely Covishieldreceived by the EPI Officer of Health & Family Welfare Department, Punjabfrom Chandigarh Airport. He said that this Covishield vaccine was developed byOxford University with AstraZeneca and now it is being manufactured in India bySerum Institute. Data of Phase III trials is available and it is allowed inemergency authorization use in UK.
The Minister said that 5 vaccination sites per districtselected for the launch where 100 beneficiaries to be allocated at each site.He said that two session sites to be live-streamed/webcast with the CentreGovernment at District Hospital SAS Nagar and GMC Amritsar.
Giving details of 'Cold Chain' preparations made forvaccine, the Minister said that presently, vaccine has been stored at StateVaccine Store, Sector-24 Chandigarh and it would be made available at Regional,District and Block vaccine stores as per SOPs set by GoI.
He further said that every vaccination session will bemanaged by a 5 membered team with defined responsibilities as first VaccinationOfficer at the entrance to ensure only eligible vaccinators enter the site,second vaccination officer for verification of beneficiaries on CoWIN, thirdVaccinator Officer for giving a vaccine as intramuscular, fourth VaccinationOfficer deputes at the observation room to monitor any AEFI (Adverse EventFollowing Immunization) and fifth Vaccination Officer would mobilize and assistin crowd control. In addition team Supervisors and AEFI Management center withNodal Officer are also deputed for smooth run of a vaccination program.