Vaccine dry run helped train staff: Sudhakar

Bengaluru: Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K.Sudhakar on Saturday said the vaccination dry run helped train the staff. "It is expected that a vaccine may be available in January itself and this dry run will help us implement the vaccination drive later," the minister told reporters, after inspecting a dry run in the model vaccination centre in Yelahanka General Hospital.

Dr Sudhakar said that the dry run was being carried out in five districts in the State and 25 people were administered vaccines (mock) during the trial. "Regular meetings have been conducted with l hospitals to prepare for the vaccination drive. The Union Health Minister has said that all corona warriors will be administered vaccines in the first phase free of cost. Centre will issue detailed guidelines and SOPs for vaccination," the minister explained.

"There are one crore Covid warriors across the country that have already been identified and they will be administered the vaccine," he said.

Earlier in the day, the mock drill for the vaccination was held successfully in Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Belagavi and Bengaluru.

The Covid-19 vaccination dry run that was held in three primary health centres in Bengaluru from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. came to a successful end with 25 volunteers participating in the mock drill at each PHC.

At model vaccination centre in Yelahanka General Hospital, the registration room brimmed with the mock drill beneficiaries including ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers of the area, as soon as they were intimated of the time and location.

Upon arrival, details of the beneficiaries were verified against a list. They were given hand sanitisers and their body temperature was checked. Following this, they were sent to the waiting room. The waiting room only had five to six people at a time, awaiting their turn to be 'vaccinated'. They were then 'vaccinated' as per their serial number.

The beneficiaries were kept in the Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) observation room for half an hour and thereafter sent home. The AEFI room did not have more than five people at a time.

Sudhakar who was present here, said that since it was only a dry run, none of the designated hospitals per se faced any challenges. "All 25 mock beneficiaries were successfully 'vaccinated' by 11 a.m.," he claimed.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has stated that it has lined up 1,517 PHCs across the city for the actual vaccine inoculation from January-end or early February.

The civic body will submit a report on the dry run to the State and Central governments as directed by the health ministry.

The data will also be uploaded on the Co-Win application platform, the digital platform for the nationwide campaign.

"The dry run will prepare the State to manage Covid vaccine supply, storage and logistics, including cold chain management," BBMP administrator Gaurav Gupta said.