Chandigarh Gears Up For COVID-19 Vaccination, Prepares Sites To Store Vaccines

Chandigarh: As the COVID-19 vaccination programme will soon begin in India, the Chandigarh administration has geared itself on how to vaccinate people when it will be available. Also, vaccinators have been trained for the vaccination programme. “We are fully prepared on how to vaccinate people when vaccines will be available. We have also planned on how vaccines will be stored and transported,” Manoj Parida, Advisor, Chandigarh Administration told ANI on Wednesday (December 16). “We have prepared sites where vaccines will be stored and vaccinators have been trained,” he added.

Also Read: Punjab Gears Up With Cold Chain Points For COVID-19 Vaccine

In the government facility, Chandigarh has 59 sites and more than 100 sites in the private medical sector for COVID-19 vaccination.

The UT health department will be giving the vaccine to frontline workers first, including paramedical staff, police and municipal workers. “We are ready with manpower and 300 vaccinators are available in the Union Territory.”

Also Read: States Receive Freezers, Ice-Lined Refrigerators For COVID-19 Vaccination: Ministry Of Health

He further asserted that Chandigarh has a population of just 12 lakhs so it will not be difficult to “complete the whole vaccination system within 15 days if needed”.

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has pledged for “One needle, One syringe, Only one time” and prepared guidelines for safer disposal of used injections. The Centre in its COVID-19 vaccine guidelines has directed states to ensure safe injection practices during the biggest vaccination programme to be held in India. The government strategy is “One needle, One syringe, Only one time”. Health experts opine that it will probably create large amount of syringe waste during vaccination programme.

Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccination Centre Issues Guidelines For Safe Waste Disposal Of Syringes

The government’s National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) recommended that a prioritised population group will specifically be vaccinated. It includes: (i) Approximately 1 crore, healthcare workers (HCWs) healthcare providers and workers in healthcare setting, (ii) about 2 crore frontline Workers (FLWs) which includes personnel from state and central police, armed forces, home guards, civil defence and disaster management volunteers, municipal workers, (iii) approximately 27 crore prioritised age group population above 50 years and persons below 50 years with associated co-morbidities.

Also Read: National Expert Group On Vaccine Administration Working On Management Of COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out: Government

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.