4.77 Lakh Doses Of Covaxin Arrives In AP For 1st Round Of Immunization Drive On Jan 16

13 Jan, 2021 13:28 IST|Sakshi Post

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh received 4.77  lakh doses of Covaxin, coronavirus vaccine in a special cargo plane at the airport in Vijayawada from Pune on Tuesday afternoon. Over 40 boxes of the vaccine were shifted to the state vaccine depot at the Community Health Centre in Gannavaram. The AP government has made elaborate arrangements for storing the vaccine in temperature-controlled cold storage units.

State Health Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar said the first consignment of vaccine doses would be used to  vaccinate about 3.87 lakh health care workers in the first round beginning January 16.

Refrigerated vans will be used to transport the vaccine to over 1,900 session sites where the chosen healthcare workers will be given the vaccine from January 16 from 9 AM in the morning in all districts.

Another 20,000 doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in the State on Wednesday from Bharat Biotech Company, officials said.

Vaccine sent to districts as per the Centre guidelines

The vaccine will be transported to the districts as per the central government guidelines. The guidelines are on how to move the vaccine and what precautions to be taken will come from the Centre on Tuesday night.
A dose of 0.5 ml per person is given by IM (intramuscular, intramuscular injection). Family Welfare officials said the state currently received a two-dose vaccine for frontline workers.

Security at Gannavaram Storage Centre

High security has been set up at the Gannavaram Vaccine Storage Centre. CCTV cameras have been set up to keep round-the -clock vigil. Around 19 special vehicles have been arranged for the transport of the vaccine. Krishna District Collector A Md Imtiaz, State Health and Family Welfare Joint Director Dr U Srihari and Airport Director G Madhusudana Rao oversaw arrangements at Gannavaram Airport.

AP Chief Secretary Adityanath Das directed the Collectors and SPs to take necessary steps for the successful conduct of the first round of the COVID-19 Vaccination program to be launched in the state on the 16th of this month. On Tuesday, he held a video conference with District Collectors, SPs and municipal commissioners from his camp office in Vijayawada about the arrangements. He said the state had received 4.77 lakh doses of vaccine and around 3.80 lakh health workers will be given the first dose. The program is being conducted at 332 session sites across the State.

Who should not be given the vaccine

During the vaccination program on the 16th, the CS clarified that pregnant women, those over 50 years of age, those under 18 years of age, and those suffering from co morbidities and other symptoms should not be vaccinated.

Vaccine for police personnel in the second round

DGP Gautam Sawang‌ directed the SPs to coordinate with the District Collectors and  officials and make the program a success. With police personnel undergoing vaccination in the second phase, strategy should be made in place to avoid any hindrance to the security arrangements later on, he said.

Anil Kumar Singhal, Chief Secretary (medical health department) , said that 332 session sites have been set up in the state for the initial vaccination program. East Godavari has the highest number, 33 sites, and Vizianagaram with the least number at 15 sites.

State Health Commissioner K Bhasker, said the state, regional and district vaccine storage centres were constantly being monitored through CCTV cameras.

Collectors were directed to take steps to have a session site at each Village / Ward Secretariat. He said the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for the health workers were sent to the districts on the do's and don'ts of the vaccination process.

Additional DGP Ravi Shankar, Krishna District Collector Imtiaz, JC Madhavi Latha, Information Commissioner T. Vijayakumar Reddy,and other officials participated in the meeting. 

whatsapp channel
Read More:
More News