Odisha on Wednesday released the ‘operational strategy for initiating vaccination of the elderly population and persons with co-morbidities’. The guidelines were released by the additional chief secretary to the Odisha government, P.K. Mohapatra.
Anticipating the high number of beneficiaries to be inoculated in the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination programme, the state government has asked all healthcare institutions, from primary level ones like Community Health Centres and Primary Health Care centers to tertiary ones like Medical colleges and hospitals, to be prepared for vaccinating individuals five days a week, except Sundays, according to guidelines.
Healthcare professionals employed as Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANMs) have been relieved of vaccination duty so as to not burden and inconvenience regular healthcare services, the guidelines said. Alternate vaccinators and verifiers will be identified and trained for conducting the inoculation drive. 6 to 7 mobile vaccine units will also be deployed in each block or urban unit for conducting vaccination sessions, the state government's proposed strategy added.
A session plan for vaccine and logistic supply and mobility support will be prepared for each and every block, it said, adding that technological support in the form of laptops and desktops will also be provided to teams on site for upgradation of vaccination data and issuance of vaccination certificates. The Union government has said that vaccination certificates will be available across government platforms such as Co-WIN and Digilocker.
{{/usCountry}}A session plan for vaccine and logistic supply and mobility support will be prepared for each and every block, it said, adding that technological support in the form of laptops and desktops will also be provided to teams on site for upgradation of vaccination data and issuance of vaccination certificates. The Union government has said that vaccination certificates will be available across government platforms such as Co-WIN and Digilocker.
{{/usCountry}}This announcement comes as the Centre is all set to start the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination from March 1, in which vaccines will be administered to people above 60 years of age and those above 45 possessing co-morbidities, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said during a media briefing on Wednesday. India hopes to inoculate 300 million citizens against Covid-19 by August of this year.