New Delhi: As a simulation of the actual execution of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out that is expected to begin in a few days, another round of dry run will be conducted in all districts across states and UTs, except UP and Haryana, January 8 to ensure efficient planning and management of the immunisation process.
Each district will identify three types of session sites, similar to the previous dry run conducted 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 Wednesday.
In this regard, a meeting of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan with the health ministers of states and Union Territories is scheduled to take place January 7 to guide them on conducting the dry run, the ministry informed.
“The vaccine dry run will be conducted January 8 in all districts across India, except for UP and Haryana. COVID-19 vaccine dry run has already been conducted in all districts in UP January 5 and Haryana is conducting it in all its districts tomorrow (Thursday),” an official source said.
“The Central government is gearing up for the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine across India. Union Ministry of Health has been pro-actively carrying out the preparations for roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine, in collaboration with states and UTs and all stakeholders, over the past couple of months to ensure that the preparations for roll-out are on track,” the ministry said in a statement.
The country’s drugs regulator Sunday approved Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield and the indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in India.
“The roll out of COVID-19 vaccine is expected to begin in the near future. This milestone entails the need for testing of all planned mechanisms for conducting the vaccination drive in India,” the ministry said.
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 familiarise the state, district, block and hospital level officers on all aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
