KOCHI: After a long wait, the first batch of Covid vaccine will arrive in the state on Wednesday. The first consignment of 4,33,500 doses will arrive at Kochi airport by late afternoon. Another consignment of vaccine is expected to arrive at Thiruvananthapuram airport in the evening.According to Health Minister K K Shailaja, Kerala’s consignment will arrive from Chennai, which is one of the four national regions earmarked for the distribution of vaccines nationwide. “The consignment of Covishield vaccine developed by the Serum Institute of India will be taken to the three regional centres in Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram from the airports,” she said.
According to her, Thiruvananthapuram will get 1,34,000 doses, Ernakulam 1,80,000 and Kozhikode 1,19,500. “Around 1,100 vaccine vials arriving in Kozhikode are meant for distribution in Mahe,” she added. All arrangements are in place for the safe storage of the vaccine vials, said the minister. The vials will then be taken to the earmarked vaccination centres, in special freezer trucks, in the 14 districts, said Shailaja.
According to sources in the health department, each vial has 10 doses of the Covishield vaccine. “From Thiruvananthapuram, the vaccines will be supplied to Alappuzha, Kollam and Pathanamthitta, besides the vaccination centres in the district. From Ernakulam, Covishield will be distributed in Idukki, Kottayam, Palakkad and Thrissur. From the Kozhikode store, the vaccine will be taken to Kannur, Kozhikode, Kasaragod, Malappuram and Wayanad,” said a health department source. According to the source, 133 centres have been set up for administering the vaccine.
4,270 recoveries T’Puram: The state on Tuesday recorded 5,507 new cases of Covid-19. There were 4,270 recoveries on the day. The daily test positivity rate came down to 8.52%. The deaths that were confirmed as due to Covid were 25. One UK returnee also tested positive on the day.