India gears for next Covid vaccine dry run on January 2

After successfully concluding the Coronavirus vaccination dry run in four states, a similar mega-drill will be conducted in all states and union territories on January 2. This is aimed at equipping the entire administration and management of vaccine supply, storage and logistics, including cold chain management.

Hyderabad: A dry run for Covid-19 vaccination will be conducted by all state and union territory administrations on January 2 to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges. Some states will also include districts that are situated in difficult terrain/have poor logistical support, while Maharashtra and Kerala are likely to schedule the dry run in major cities other than their capital.

The objective of the dry run for COVID-19 vaccine introduction is to assess operational feasibility in the use of Co-WIN application in the field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide the way forward prior to actual implementation.

The planning for the vaccine introduction will be as per the operational guidelines issued by the Ministry on December 20, 2020. "For each of the three Session Sites, the concerned Medical Officer In-charge will identify 25 test beneficiaries (healthcare workers)," it added.

The States/UTs have been asked to ensure that the data of these beneficiaries are uploaded in Co-WIN. These beneficiaries will also be available at the session site for the dry run. Union Health Ministry asked States and UTs to prepare the facilities and users to be created on CoWIN application including uploading the data of Health Care Worker (HCW) beneficiaries.

The States/UTs have been asked to ensure physical verification of all proposed sites for the adequacy of space, logistical arrangements, internet connectivity, electricity and safety. The dry run will also equip the State and UT administration in the management of vaccine supply, storage and logistics including cold chain management. According to the Health Ministry said that around 96,000 vaccinators have been trained for this purpose.

"2,360 participants have been trained in the National Training of Trainers and over 57,000 participants trained in District level training in 719 districts. States are augmenting the State helpline 104 (which shall be used in addition to 1075) for any vaccine/software related query. Orientation and capacity building of the Call Centre executives has taken place in the States/UTs."

The States/UTs were also asked to address the communication challenges by taking in confidence all the concerned stakeholders and by augmenting the community engagement 'Jan bhagidari' through innovative strategies.

Earlier today, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday held a review meeting with the Delhi government officials for the preparations of the mock drill. The minister was speaking to the Delhi government officials via video-conference. He said the procedure of the vaccination drive is similar to the election preparations.

"The procedure of the vaccination drive is the same as the election. In any election, we train people at the booth the same way. We need more manpower so we have to train the people here who can look after the proposed beneficiaries," Vardhan said.

"Aim of this exercise is to ensure that the minute details are thoroughly researched. Cold storage, temperature, electricity and arrangement of the injections, staff and the challenges, which will come forward during the drive will be studied in the drill," he added.

On December 28 and 29, dry run for the Covid-19 vaccination was conducted in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, Rajkot and Gandhinagar district of Gujarat, Ludhiana and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar of Punjab and Sonitpur and Nalbari districts of Assam.

After a year which saw an unprecedented global health crisis, many are anticipating the coronavirus vaccine as India prepares for the inoculation campaign, which is likely to commence in January 2021.

The central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive. It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly, mostly above the age of 50 years with comorbidities.

India currently has eight Covid-19 vaccine candidates, including three indigenous vaccines, under different stages of clinical trials which could be ready for authorisation in near future. Serum Institute-Oxford's Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Pfizer vaccine are in the fray for emergency use authorisation.

(With inputs from agencies)