Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Saturday that free coronavirus vaccines will be provided to frontline 3 crore workers at the first base of the mega vaccination campaign in India.
“In the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination, a free nationwide vaccine will be provided to most priority recipients including 1 crore from healthcare and 2 crore from frontline workers,” Vardhan wrote on Twitter.
He also said details of how more than 27 million priority beneficiaries will be vaccinated through July are being finalized.
When India began its national Covid-19 vaccine trial from today before the launch of a possible vaccine to citizens, the Health Minister called on people not to pay attention to rumors about the COVID-19 vaccine.
After reviewing the proof of COVID-19 vaccine administration at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) in Delhi, Vardhan spoke to the media.
“I appeal to people not to heed the rumors. Ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is our priority. Different types of rumors were spread during polio vaccination, but people took the vaccine and the India is now polio free, “he said.
In Delhi, the campaign is taking place in three locations: the Daryaganj Primary Health Center, the government-run Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and the Venkateshwara Private Hospital, he added.
Except for administering an actual vaccine, all procedures are followed during the drill, Vardhan said.
In Bengaluru, a COVID-19 vaccination trial was carried out at the Primary Health Center in Kamakshipalya. More than 1.65,000 healthcare workers have been identified. “This test will help us to plan the vaccination process,” said Special Health Commissioner Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.
Meanwhile, the Pune district of Maharashtra also conducted a vaccination trial. The drill will be carried out by all the governments of the States and Territories of the Union as of Saturday. The mock vaccination is being conducted in all states / UT currently in 116 districts at 259 sites.
Feedback received after the previous four-state drill was included in the guidelines for vaccination and today’s all-state / UT drill is being conducted under the new guidelines, the Minister of Health said.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the objective of the trial for the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine is to “evaluate the operational feasibility of using the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) application in an environment of field, to test the links between planning and implementation and identify challenges and guide the way forward before actual implementation. “
Meanwhile, the panel of experts recommended on Friday granting emergency use authorization to Covishield from the Serum Institute of India (SII), according to mint report as the government prepared to launch the vaccines next week.
The independent committee of subject matter experts (SEC) gave its recommendations to the Comptroller General of Drugs of India (DCGI) VG Somani for an emergency license for Covishield subject to certain conditions, said the people, who requested anonymity. Formal clearance from DCGI is likely to be obtained soon.
With contributions from the agency
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