Stage set, Covid vaccination drive to commence today
All preparations have been completed, says health minister
JAIPUR: Health minister Raghu Sharma said on Friday that all preparations related to Covid-19 vaccination have been completed in the state.
“The vaccines have reached all 33 districts and will be administered from Saturday in 161 vaccination centres,” he said.
The state has received over 563,000 vaccine doses of two companies; 443,000 of Covishield and 20,000 of Covaxin have been kept at the state vaccine store in Jaipur, and 105,000 at the vaccine store in Udaipur.
The CM will launch the vaccination programme at noon from his residence.
He said vaccine distribution started from Friday and vaccine vans, two drivers and deputy chief medical officer, health officer, and policemen were called from all districts for distribution.
“The first dose of 0.5 ml will be given to the beneficiary. The second dose of 0.5 ml of the same company will be given after 28 days of the first dose,”
Sharma said. He added that two sites will be there for interactive sessions for vaccination -- SMS Hospital, Jaipur and JLN Medical College Hospital, Ajmer.
“To ensure that other services aren’t affected due to vaccinations, only 4 days a week will be there for vaccination. There will be no vaccination on Thursday, Sunday, and state holidays,” the minister said. “Vaccination will be done at the 161 session venues by January 31.”
He said the vaccine will be stored at temperatures between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. There are three state-level, seven division level and 34 district level Covid vaccine stores in the state. “At the same time, 2444 cold chain points are also functional at community and primary health centres. A vaccine van has also been provided to each district.”
Sharma said the data about more than 600,000 beneficiaries from the state has been uploaded in the Cowin software for Covid-19 vaccination by January 14. The beneficiaries includes health workers of state, private and central institutions. “4,87,381 are beneficiaries of government and private institutions of the state, while 6758 are beneficiaries of central ministries.”
Sharma said data of 1,01,761 front-line workers has also been uploaded. In the first phase, 3345 government medical institutions and 2969 private sector institutions have been identified for vaccination.
SMS principal to be vaccinated first
Principal, SMS Medical College, Dr Sudheer Bhandari will be the first person in Rajasthan to be vaccinated with Covishield on Saturday.
Bhandari said, “Rajasthan is a pioneer in Covid19 management. We have always been first, be it use of hydroxychloroquine, then use of tocilizumab drug; or Remdesivir drug, which was contradicted by WHO,” he said. “
I have no inhibition in taking the vaccine as it is scientific and like any other flu shot. I am very comfortable,” Bhandari said.