Wait ends, D-Day today

Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 15

The UT Administration is all set to administer Covishield, a Covid-19 vaccine, to healthcare workers, who have braved the deadly disease like warriors for the past more than nine months. In addition to four sites in the UT, vaccination will also take place at the PGI.

The vaccination drive, which will begin tomorrow, will be held at five sites — Advanced Paediatric Centre at the PGI, Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, the Civil Hospital, Sector 45, and two sites at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32.

At each site, not more than 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated as per the advisory of the Union Government. The number of healthcare workers to be vaccinated on the first day of the drive will remain 500.

All vaccination sites have been converted into three-tier rooms. The first room is the waiting hall and the second room is the place wherein identification and vaccination will take place. The inoculated beneficiaries will be kept in the third room for observation for 30 minutes.

The vaccination will kick off after inaugural speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 11.15 am and will continue till 3 pm.

Chandigarh had received 12,000 Covishield doses on Tuesday and the vaccines have been scientifically preserved at the District Vaccination Store in the Sector 16 hospital. With the present stock, 5,400 health care workers can be vaccinated initially.

Dr Amandeep Kaur Kang, Director, Health Services, UT said, “Four beds have been reserved for any eventuality. An exclusive helpdesk number 1075 has been set up, which will be attended by four doctors. A dedicated ambulance has been reserved. There will be a two-way link with the Government of India for on-time monitoring of the vaccination.”

“Each vaccination site will have an anaesthetist and a physician to monitor the beneficiaries,” said Dr VK Nagpal, Medical Superintendent-cum-Joint Director, Health, UT.

As the PGI has not received its share of Covid-19 vaccines, the UT has provided 1,000 doses to the institute to begin the vaccination drive.

Dr SS Pandav, professor of ophthalmology, who is chairing the internal vaccination committee of the institute, said, “We are only going to start the vaccination at one site as we have limited doses. We will soon receive a consignment of the vaccine from the Government of India.”

Meanwhile, the UT Administrator directed the MC to keep ready a list of persons to be vaccinated in the second round.

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