Chandigarh to get Covishield vaccine

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 11

Chandigarh will receive the Covishield vaccine, which is developed by the University of Oxford and British-Swedish company AstraZeneca, in collaboration with the Serum Institute of India (SII), revealed a senior UT official.

Ahead of the vaccine rollout scheduled for January 16, the UT was intimated by the Centre that it will receive 21,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine. A list of around 8,350 health workers has been prepared and updated on the Co-WIN portal for the first phase of vaccination in Chandigarh. Besides, the PGI will administer its 12,000 healthcare workers within the institute separately.

The Covishield vaccine will be administered at nine sites across the city — two sites each at the GMSH-16, GMCH-32, Civil Hospitals in Sector 45 and 22, Mani Majra and the Sector 49 civil dispensary. There are five more sites at PGI where the vaccination will take place.

Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGI, has informed that the trial for both Covishield doses was conducted successfully with 149 volunteers. No adverse effect was reported.

This vaccine can be stored at 2° to 8° Centigrade (household refrigerator temperature) and has to be taken in two doses with intramuscular injections at a gap of 28 days.