E-Paper
Social distancing signs, badges for officers: States, UTs gear up for nationwide vaccine dry run on January 2
The Co-WIN app which will be extensively used for the real-time monitoring of vaccination updates has already been tested in the first phase of dry run.
All state governments and union territories have prepared for the Covid-19 vaccine dry run on Saturday (January 2) which will be a trial before the actual vaccination drive begins in India. Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat have successfully conducted dry run in the first phase. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday held a meeting to review the preparedness.
Vaccine dry run is an end-to-end exercise where all steps to be done during the actual vaccination drive will be tested to identify if there is any gap in the process or if any region of the country is experiencing any difficulty in the entire process.
The sites where the dry run will take place tomorrow have already been identified as preparations went on full swing on Friday. Social distancing signs were put up, vaccination officers were given their badges at many dry run centres on Friday.
The Co-WIN app which will be extensively used for the real-time monitoring of vaccination updates has already been tested in the first phase of dry run. The names of the mock beneficiaries — as there is no real vaccine involved in the dry run — taking part in the dry run are uploaded in the site, which is now being used by the officials involved in the process. They will also receive an SMS However, these beneficiaries who are being called for the dry run are health workers who will get vaccines when the drive begins.
All logistical arrangements, internet connectivity, electricity, safety of the sites are also to be checked during the dry run.
According to the health department, a model vaccine site must have separate entry and exit and at least three rooms so that beneficiaries can wait before and after vaccination. Arrangement for post-vaccination observations has also been recommended.
Maharashtra will hold the dry run at Pune, Nagpur, Jalna and Nandurbar. Jharkhand will conduct the dry run in Ranchi, East Singhbhum, Chatra, Palamu and Pakur. Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Mysuru and Shivamogga will undergo the dry run in Karnataka. Tamil Nadu will conduct the dry run in Chennai, Nilgiris, Tirunevlevi, Tiruvallur and Coimbatore. Similarly, all states have identified dry run sites. The Centre has asked the states and the union territories to test sites at difficult terrains as well.
The nationwide dry run comes as the first vaccine candidate — Covishield developed by Oxford/Astrazeneca — inches towards getting approval in India. The government-appointed expert panel has recommended this vaccine for approval which will be granted by Drugs Controller General of India.