More than 240 centres ready for vaccination drive in K’taka

PTI, Jan 16, 2021, 8:38 AM IST

Bengaluru: A total of 243 centres have been prepared for the launch of the first phase of COVID-19vaccination drive across the state on January 16, including 10centres in Bengaluru, Karnataka Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said.

The Minister held a video conference with Deputy Commissioners, Zilla Panchayat CEOs and district health officers regarding the vaccination drive on Friday.

Covishield vaccine will be distributed in 237centres and Covaxin in six centres – Bellary, Shivamogga, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Chamarajnagar and Davanegere, Sudhakarwas quoted as saying by his office in a release.

Noting that Bengaluru Medical College was one of the sites where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the vaccination drive on Saturday, he said, another nine centres have been prepared in the state capital for the vaccination.

Some private hospitals like St Johns Medical college have also been included.

According to the Health Minister, 7,17,439 health warriors will be vaccinated in the initial phase.

”…we are aiming to vaccinate 24,300 people on the first day itself. We have 8,14,500 doses of vaccine and the initial phase is expected to complete within a week,” he said.

Politicians would have been given the vaccine in the first phase, but health workers at the forefront in the fight against Corona will be given priority, the minister said.

Pointing out that there will be emergency medical service available at the site of vaccination if any side effects occur to anybody, Sudhakar claimed people were being misled by rumours spreading in social media.

”Only information provided in official government handles are authenticated.” Health warriors, police staff and ‘pourakarmikas’ have been registered in the first phase, he said, He requested people to take the vaccine without any fear as it was completely safe.

Ten walk-in coolers, 4 walk-in freezers, 3,210 ice lined refrigerators, 3,312 cold boxes, 46,591 vaccine carriers and 2,25,749 ice packs were available for storing and transporting vaccines, he added.