First batch of 1.6 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine reach Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW: The first batch of the much awaited coronavirus vaccine was received by Uttar Pradesh government at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport here on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was monitoring the transfer virtually while health minister Jai Pratap Singh was present at the airport to receive the consignment along with the state immunisation officer and his team.
A total of 12 cartons, each carrying 1,200 vials landed at Chaudhary Charan Singh international airport around 3:40 pm, following which the health minister flagged off the consignment in a truck to cold chain.
The minister said, "Around 1.6 lakh doses of the Oxford University's Covid-19 vaccine, Covidshield, arrived from Serum Institute of India will now be distributed across various community health centers, government hospitals of Lucknow division districts on January 16. Our target is to gather around 11 lakh doses till January 14, so that 8.97 lakh frontline health workers of state registered with our Covid-19 portal are inoculated."
Adding further he said, "Each recipient of the vaccine will be given a card with mentioned dose and emergency contact number."
Health officials said that consignment for several western UP districts including those in NCR and Agra landed at New Delhi airport will be transported by road on Wednesday. A vaccine package is also expected at the Varanasi International Airport for Varanasi and adjoining districts.

As many as nine State Vaccine Stores have been set up in Agra, Meerut, Bareilly, Jhansi, Kanpur, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Lucknow. Each of these centres would be the master storage centre for a bunch of districts.
The one in Lucknow will cater to Hardoi, Lakhmipur Kheri, Sitapur, Rae Bareli and Unnao besides Lucknow. Likewise, the one in Ayodhya includes Barabanki, Ambedkarnagar, Amethi, Sultanpur, Gonda, Bahraich, Balrampur and Shrawasti in addition to Ayodhya city.
“Transportation of vaccine the districts will be supervised by its controlling state vaccine centre. The GPS enabled vehicles will be transporting the vaccines in full police protection. Movement of each vehicle and its temperature can be checked from the master control room in Lucknow. A central control room has also been set up by the ministry of health and family welfare India where tracking is just a click away,” said a senior officer.
Additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad, said: “From districts, the vaccines will be passed on and stored in block level primary health centres or community health centers. On the due date, health teams will carry their vaccines to the sites from these centres.”
Health officials said that as many as 20,000 personnel will make the vaccine programme happen in the field. As many as 1,500 vaccination sites have been set up where an average of two sessions will be held. The target is to cover 3 lakh health employees per day in the three-day long exercise. The fourth day has been reserved for a mop up round to catch up the missed persons.
"Each center would have three rooms including waiting, vaccination and observation room. After the jab, the recipients need to wait for half an hour in the observation room, so that in case of side effects, they could be given medical assistance. The observation room will have an oxygen cylinder, blood pressure instrument, medicine to tackle any possible side effects," the minister said.