First batch of Covid vaccine to arrive in Jaipur today
440k health care workers will get vaccination in the first phase
JAIPUR: The first batch of Covid vaccine is expected to reach Jaipur Airport from Pune on Wednesday, and 440,000 health care workers will get vaccination in the first phase in Rajasthan starting January 16, officials said.
Out of a total of 630,000 vaccines, 543,000 are coming from Serum Institute and 60,000 are from Bharat Biotech. The second shipment will arrive in 28 days. As soon as the vaccines reach Jaipur, they will be kept in a large freezer to keep them at the temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, officials said.
“We have been allotted more than 600,000 doses. Health workers of state government, central government, armed forces and private hospitals will get vaccine in the first round. A team of health officials, senior officers and police will reach the airport and under their supervision the vaccines will be taken to the storage points. From there they will be supplied to other districts under police security,” said Siddhart Mahajan, secretary, medical health and family welfare.
He added that a floor of Sawai Man Singh hospital has been made the vaccination centre where different session sites have been created. “Every vaccination site will have three rooms. We have also developed an ICU to tackle any emergency situation,” said Mahajan.
Rahul Prakash, additional commissioner of police, law and order (Jaipur city), said security arrangements have been made for the safe delivery of vaccines.
“There will be piloting vehicles and armed guards to ensure smooth delivery of vaccines from the airport to the centre. We will ensure tight security arrangements from our front and will also fulfil the protocols and standard set by the government,” said Prakash.
Health care workers will get Covishield vaccination at 282 session sites in the first phase. The medical department has completed all preparations for the vaccination, officials said.
There are three state level, seven divisional level and 34 district level vaccine stores. Also, 2,444 cold chain points are functional at community and primary health centres.
A vaccine van is also being made available in each district; 5,626 vaccination teams have been trained for the first phase of vaccination.
In the first phase, 3,689 medical institutions and 2,969 private sector medical centres have been identified for the vaccination, officials said.