Ahead of the COVID-19 vaccination drive that is scheduled to begin across the country on Saturday, Telangana health officials addressed the media with a few details on how the drive will be conducted in the state. Director of Public Health (DPH) Dr Srinivasa Rao and Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr Ramesh Reddy announced that those who will be inoculated with the Covishield vaccine will be marked with indelible ink on their thumbs, in order to avoid overlap and confusion.
State Health Minister Eatala Rajendar will start the vaccination drive at 10.30 am at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the programme virtually. The drive will take place across 139 designated vaccination centres in Telangana, which serve as district, area and primary healthcare centres.
Dr Srinivasa Rao said that all officials, from the state Governor to ministers, MLAs and other public representatives, aid in making the drive successful. He further stated that over 1,213 session sites, where the vaccine will be available over a prolonged period, will also be developed.
On the first day, 4,000 people will receive the first dose of the Covishield vaccine across the 139 centres, with about 30 beneficiaries per centre. Later, the vaccine will only be administered for four days a week, not including Sundays and other public holidays. As many as 3.4 lakh healthcare workers have been identified as beneficiaries in the first phase of vaccinations.
The Director said that the CoWIN software will be used to manage the logistics and beneficiary identification, adding that this vaccine drive will be driven by this technology.
Out of the 139 centres, Hyderabad has as many as 13 and Rangareddy ditrict has nine. The state has received 3.84 lakh doses of the Covishield vaccine which it will start to roll out on Saturday.
DME Dr Ramesh said "All the necessary actions were taken to maintain the protocol has been taken, given the directions from government of India this vaccination will not be given to people under 18 years age and pregnant women, lactating mothers as these sections were not trialed for the vaccine."
He also stated that the vaccine dose will not be given to the people who have experienced anaphylactic reactions in the past, while stating that the medical history of beneficiaries will be examined before giving the vaccine.