SHILLONG, Dec 31: Ahead of COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out across the country, the Central government has asked all states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure effective preparedness.
A dry run for the same will be conducted on January 2 by all states and UTs. It is proposed in all state capitals in at least three session sites.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness at session sites for the vaccination with Principal Secretaries (Health), NHM MDs and other health administrators of all states/UTs through video conference.
An official of Meghalaya Health Department told The Shillong Times that a meeting would be held on Friday to discuss the dry run. “We will discuss it tomorrow and identify the areas where we will conduct the dry run,” the official said.
The objectives of the dry run are to assess operational feasibility in the use of Co-WIN application in field environment, test linkages between planning and implementation, identify the challenges etc and give guidance on the way forward prior to actual implementation. This is expected to give confidence to programme managers at various levels.
For each of the three session sites, the Medical Officer In-charge concerned will identify 25 test beneficiaries (healthcare workers). The states and UTs have been asked to ensure that the data of beneficiaries are uploaded in Co-WIN.
The beneficiaries will also be available at the session sites for the dry run. The states and UTs shall prepare the facilities.
They have been asked to ensure the physical verification of all proposed sites for adequacy of space, logistical arrangements, internet connectivity, electricity, safety etc; prepare at least three model session sites in each state (at state capital) for demonstration; ensure that the model sites have separate entry and exit in a ‘three-room set-up’ with adequate space outside for awareness-generation activities; display all IEC material at these sites; ensure all SOPs and protocols are being practiced at the identified sites in an ideal environment along with vaccination teams to be identified and trained in all aspects.
The dry run will also equip the state and UT administrations in management of vaccine supply, storage and logistics including cold chain management.