Chandigarh cuts down Covid vaccination sites from 8 to 4

The Chandigarh administration has decided to restrict the number of Covid-19 vaccination sites to four instead of eight in proportion to the vaccine doses received for now.

The health department on Tuesday had received 12,000 doses of vaccines to be used to immunize 5,400-6,000 health workers through two doses with a 28-day gap. The vaccination process will begin on January 16.

Senior officials on Wednesday confirmed that two sites will be functional at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and one site each at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, and Civil Hospital, Sector 45. The remaining sites have been put on hold.

“The instructions to the department are that sites once functional should continue to remain so. But, in view of the number of doses received, four sites will be adequate and will function for a longer period of time in a staggered manner,” said a senior UT health official, wishing not to be named.

“This will also be helpful in closely analysing any adverse reaction due to the vaccine,” the official added.

Among the first beneficiaries will be level-3 and -4 employees involved in the healthcare services.

“The automated appointment messages will be sent one or two days in advance. We are hopeful of a good response though vaccination is totally voluntary,” said Dr VK Nagpal, joint director, UT health department.

Panchkula to get 9,000 doses in first batch

With Haryana receiving the first consignment of the Covishield vaccine on Wednesday, the Panchkula health department is expecting to receive 9,000 doses in the first batch.

“The Covid-19 vaccine has reached Haryana. The vaccine has been sent to Kurukshetra, from where it will be forwarded to Hisar, Gurugram and Rohtak. Thereon, it will be dispatched to other districts,” said Panchkula deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja.