Covid-19 vaccine: Dry run in Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat on December 28, 29

With a January target to roll out the Covid-19 vaccination drive in India, the Centre is starting dry run in four states — Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat — from tomorrow. The exercise will continue for two days, December 28 and 29, in two districts each. There will be no vaccine involved in the process, which will only check the feasibility of the plan which involves real-time monitoring through Co-WIN app.

Though India has not given a nod to any vaccine for emergency use, Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine, tested and manufactured in India by Serum Institute, is the front-runner. Once the UK drug regulator gives its approval to the vaccine, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation is likely to hold a meeting where the details will be reviewed and the nod will be given after evaluation.

For Covid-19 vaccination, as many as 2,360 participants were trained during a national-level training of state immunisation officers, cold chain officers, information, education and communication officials and development partners.

Here’s how the dry run will take place

1. It will be a mock drill. Everything except vaccine administering will be tested. Data will be fed to Co-WIN app, cold storage will be tested, the transport of vaccines from cold storage to the sites, crowd management at sites will be checked.

2. For vaccination, as many sites as possible will be used. Hence, the dry runs too will be conducted in all different settings — district hospitals, community health centres or primary health care centre, urban site, private health facility and rural outreach.

3. The aim of the exercise is to identify challenges and make required changes in the plan so that the final process becomes foolproof.

4. The programme managers will get a hands-on experience of how everything will take place at various levels.

5. The mock drill will include concurrent monitoring and review at block and district levels, and preparation of feedback to be shared with the state and the Centre.