AP gears up for Covid jab

Amaravati: Priority will be given for healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase of the Covid vaccination, according Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das. Priority will also be given to patients of diabetes, hypertension, cancer, lung disorders, and those persons who crossed 50 years. The Government of Andhra Pradesh aims to administer one crore vaccines in the first phase.

The Chief Secretary conducted a review meeting on the Covid vaccine storage and supply system at Secretariat on Wednesday. He said officials should act in a coordinated manner for effective administration of vaccination. As per the guidelines of the Central government 3.7 lakh healthcare workers, including ICDS workers will be administered Covid vaccine.

Likewise, the vaccine will be given to 9 lakh police, disaster management staff, civil defence organization, municipal and revenue staff.

The Chief Secretary said the state-level steering committee will conduct a review meeting every month and the task force set up under the supervision of municipal commissioners will review the Covid vaccine administration. He said the control rooms set up for the purpose at state, district and mandal levels will function round-the-clock. He discussed with medical and health officials over storage of the vaccines.

Medical and Health chief secretary Anilkumar Singhal said necessary arrangements have been made for the first phase of Covid vaccine supply. Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare K Bhaskar said 1,677 cold chain points were set up in the state. He said 17,032 vaccinators are ready. He said freezers with a capacity of 3.76 lakh litres of vaccine are kept ready. Officials, including Kumar Viswajit, MT Krishnababu, B Rajasekhar, B Udayalakshmi, Rizvi and Ravisankar Ayyannar were present.