Vaccine dry run in Ludhiana, SBS Nagar dists on Dec 28, 29

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24

The Government of India has chosen Punjab to conduct a dry run of Covid-19 vaccine on December 28 and 29. Ludhiana and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar have been selected as the two districts for the purpose and five sights would be identified in each district. This was stated by Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu in a press communiqué.

Sidhu said the dry run was aimed at testing the mechanisms laid out for the Covid-19 vaccination. It would give an insight into gaps or bottlenecks, if any, so that issues could be addressed before the commencement of the vaccination drive. The dry run would to be conducted under the leadership of the district collector/magistrate.

The minister said immunisation partners — UNDP and the WHO — would support the activity at the state level. All activities, from beneficiary data upload, site allocation (micro-planning), site management (with test beneficiaries) and reporting to evening debriefing, are to be covered in the two-day dry run. The primary objective of the dry run includes assessing the operational feasibility of Co-WIN, an electronic application.

The implementation and reporting mechanisms would identify challenges and show the way for the actual implementation, said the minister.

School winter break from Dec 25 to 31

Chandigarh: School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Thursday said the state government had declared winter vacation from December 25 to 31 in all government, government-aided and private schools. The Cabinet minister said schools would reopen on January 1. “In view of the winter season, we have decided to provide break to students and staff. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, students from Classes IX to XII only were allowed in schools to attend classes so far,” he said. The state government was committed to ensuring safety of students and every possible measure was being taken to provide safe and secure environment to students, he added. TNS

To include Data upload, debriefing

• The dry run will include beneficiary data upload, site allocation, reporting and evening debriefing
• The United Nations Development Programme and the World Health Organisation will support the activity at the state level