Vizag to get its Covid vaccine by mid-Jan

Visakhapatnam: As Visakhapatnam is bracing for the first phase of Covid vaccines, the district administration is pulling out all stops to make it a hassle-free exercise.

As a part of the first phase, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) PS Surya Narayana revealed to The Hans India that they were expecting supply of vaccine mid-January. The details of the suppliers are yet to be confirmed. Even the walk-in coolers are also yet to arrive.

The vaccine will be administered to 59,962 health workers in the district. Like all other districts, the frontline health workers will receive the first shot of Covid vaccine here as well.

A meeting, headed by District Collector V Vinay Chand was held with the District Task Force Immunisation Committee (DTFI) and a roadmap was laid to identify the number of frontline warriors and prepare the list accordingly.

In the first phase, the vaccine will be given to healthcare workers, Anganwadi workers, Asha workers and ANMs. Those above 50 years of age and those with co-morbidities will get vaccinated on priority basis. Sanitary workers, ambulance drivers (104,108), hospital technicians, administrative staff, paramedical staff, nursing staff, MBBS doctors and specialist doctors' form a part of those who receive the first shot of the vaccine.

Giving the details about the cold storage chain, District Immunisation Officer S Jeevan Rani said, "Vizag will be the main vaccine storage point for all the four districts – Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari. 40 cubic metre refrigeration facilities will be provided and 17 lakh of doses can be stored at 2 degrees to 8 degrees Celsius. Amaravati and Kurnool will receive 16.2 cubic metre refrigeration facility each, while Chittoor and Visakhapatnam will get 40 cubic metre walk-in cooler each."

About training modules, the DMHO said, complete training will be given to medical officers, PHC doctors, vaccinator officers, cold chain handlers, nodal officers and vaccinators from private healthcare facilities, among others. "The virtual training commences from Wednesday. Close to 4,000 vaccinator officers, 200 doctors, 300 cold chain handlers, among several others will receive training in a phased manner," he said.

Those who got trained at a state-level platform will further train the medical officers at regional level.