A Shot On The Arm As Odisha Prepares For Mass COVID-19 Vaccination

Bhubaneswar: Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Odisha government officials for the successful execution of the COVID-19 vaccination drive which is likely to begin shortly in the State.

As per plans, the COVID-19 vaccine shot will be administered below the shoulders to the first priority groups which include doctors and other healthcare workers in the State.

Health Director Bijay Panigrahi said that at present there are 29,000 vaccination centres across the State and a review of the facilities including waiting and vaccine storage rooms will be made soon before carrying out the vaccination drive.

The information of the beneficiaries will be collected and matched with the existing database. A person, who will be administered the COVID-19 vaccine shot, will be kept under observation for nearly 30 minutes to review any adverse or side effects of the vaccine, said Panigrahi.

Health Minister Naba Das on Monday expressed hope that the COVID-19 vaccine would reach Odisha by this month end. The State Health and Family Welfare Department also ordered identification of session sites and constituted a five-member team for each session site for COVID-19 vaccination of the healthcare workers.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner, Prem Chandra Chaudhary today said 18 major hospitals, 26 primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) have been identified for the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

According to Chaudhary, provision has been made to vaccinate around 25,000 to 27,000 health workers and all the necessary preparations in this regard have been completed.

The entire COVID-19 vaccination drive will be carried out as per the necessary guidelines of the State government, said Chaudhary.

(Edited By Pradeep Singh)