Haryana to hold Covid-19 vaccine dry run today, day before nationwide exercise

Haryana is holding a dry run, a simulation of the actual execution of the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out, on Thursday. This is being done to ensure efficient planning and management of the immunisation process which is expected to begin in a few days.

In Gurugram, where vaccination dry run will be held at six session sites, regional emergencies director of World Health Organisation, Dr Rodrico Ofrin, is likely to visit two sites - at Bhangrola and Wazirabad.

Bhangrola is a rural area, with the dry run being held at a primary health centre. Wazirabad, on the other hand, is an urban area, where the drive will be held at a government primary school.

The drive will start from 11 am at all locations simultaneously, and is likely to continue till 1 pm.

Since the mock drill will be conducted across 22 districts on Thursday, Haryana has been exempted by the Union health ministry from the massive nationwide mock drill to be held on January 8 across all states and union territories.

Each district across the country has been asked to identify three types of session sites, similar to the previous dry run conducted on January 2, including a public health facility (district hospital/medical college), private health facility and rural or urban outreach sites, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan will hold a meeting with the health ministers of states and union territories on Thursday to guide them on conducting the dry run.

The entire planning of the vaccination drive including beneficiary registration, microplanning and vaccination at the planned session site will be tested under the leadership of District Collector or District Magistrate during the dry run.

The dry run will also familiarize the state, district, block and hospital level officers on all aspects of the Covid vaccine roll out.