E-Paper
Govt okays setting up of Covid vaccination centres for elderly, differently-abled
Individuals above 60, who have not received any vaccination doses yet, and younger people with disability due to physical or medical conditions will be eligible for jabs at these centres
The Centre has issued guidelines for making operational “nearer to homes” Covid-19 vaccination centres for the elderly and differently-abled. The special vaccination centres will follow “a community-based, flexible and people-centric approach”, Union health ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Individuals above 60, who have not received any vaccination doses yet, and younger people with disability due to physical or medical conditions will be eligible for jabs at these centres.
The ministry has asked states to make arrangements to make functional such centres.
As per the guidelines, a community-based approach needs to be followed where sessions can be conducted in non-health facility-based settings and are nearer to homes such as community centres, resident welfare association centres, panchayat houses, schools, old age homes, etc.
Based on the cohort of the eligible population, the district or urban task forces will decide the location of a centre to maximize the reach of services to the target population, reduce vaccine wastage with minimal impact on the existing health services.
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Each such centre will be linked to an existing Covid vaccination centre (CVC). The CVC in charge will be responsible to provide the vaccine, arrange logistics and human resources required.
Once identified and verified, all special centres for the elderly and differently-abled will be registered on the Co-WIN portal. Each of these centres will have five members; a doctor, vaccinator, vaccination officer 1 for Co-WIN registration and/or verification of a beneficiary, and vaccination officer 2 and 3 for crowd control. An assistant to the vaccinator will ensure a 30-minute observation of beneficiaries following vaccination for any adverse effect following immunisation, and any other support.
