outside a health center being used for dry run or a mock drill for
Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine delivery in New Delhi on January 2,
2021. (Photo by Prakash SINGH / AFP)
India on Saturday staged nationwide drills to start one
of the world’s biggest coronavirus vaccination programmes as the
drug regulator prepared to approve the first vaccine.
A government panel on Friday recommended emergency use of the
AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot and the first injections could
be given in the coming week after the Drugs Control Authority of
India gives final approval.
India, which has the world’s second highest number of pandemic
cases — more than 10.2 million — has set an ambitious target of
inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021.
Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest vaccine producer,
has already stockpiled tens of millions of doses of AstraZeneca’s
Covishield ready for the campaign and 96,000 health workers
have been trained for the inoculation drive.
The drills saw 25 health workers receive dummy vaccines at each
of the centres to be used across the country in a test run ahead of
the launch.
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volunteer (R) take part in dry run or a mock drill for Covid-19
coronavirus vaccine delivery at a health center in New Delhi on
January 2, 2021. (Photo by Prakash SINGH / AFP)
Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan said the exercise would help
build expertise “so that the upcoming vaccination drive may proceed
without any glitch.” He has also called for a campaign to counter
“misleading rumours” that may scare people off getting the
vaccine.
While India is only second to the United States for the number
of cases, its rate of infection has come down significantly from a
mid-September peak of 90,000 plus cases daily and its fatality rate
is lower than other badly affected countries.
Britain and Argentina this week authorised the AstraZeneca
vaccine while the World Health Organization on Thursday granted
emergency validation to the rival Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Covishield is expected to get more use in India as it can be
stored and transported under normal refrigeration while the Pfizer
shot needs ultra low temperatures for storage.
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2021/01/02/india-holds-vaccine-drills-ahead-of-mass-inoculation-drive/