COVID-19 vaccine likely to reach Odisha in next 2-3 days

Bhubaneswar:  The COVID-19 vaccine is likely to reach Odisha about two to three days before launching of the nationwide vaccination drive on January 16, said Odisha Health Director and Vaccine In-charge Dr Bijay Panigrahi here today.

Sharing further details, the official said the immunization drive will be conducted at 160 session sites covering all 30 districts in the state and 100 health workers will be vaccinated at each session site on the first day.  Arrangements will be made for two-way communication at two places- Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) and Capital Hospital here, from where the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare can directedly take feedback on the vaccination.

Besides, state monitoring teams will be formed for smooth execution of vaccination drive. The teams will monitor the programme at district-level, he added.

Meanwhile, the Pulse Polio immunisation drive in the state scheduled to be held on January 17, 18 and 19 has been put on hold in view of the COVID-19 vaccination, Panigrahi informed.

The COVID-19 vaccination programme will be rolled out in the country from January 16. Around 30 crore people ( three crore healthcare and frontline workers and 27 crore people aged above 50 years and people aged below 50 years with comorbities) will be administered the vaccine in the first phase across the country. Over 3.2 lakh health workers have already been shortlisted.

Worth mentioning the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved two vaccines — Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield — for emergency use.