Vials limited, vaccination sites in Chandigarh halved to four

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

As Chandigarh has received a limited number of Covishield doses, the UT Health Department has decided to limit the number of vaccination sites from eight to four.

There will now be two vaccination sites at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, and one each at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16 and the Civil Hospital in Sector 45.

Dr Amandeep Kaur Kang, Director, Health Services, UT, said, “The Covishield doses are limited to 12,000 with which we can inoculate 5,400 healthcare workers. Assuming 10 per cent wastage, a total of 10,800 doses will remain with us, of which 5,400 doses will be given on the first day and the remaining 5,400 doses will be stored to be given to beneficiaries after a gap of 28 days.”

Dr Kang added, “A vial has 10 doses that can be stored for four hours. If a vial is opened, it will have to be used within those four hours. If the required number of beneficiaries do not turn up during that time, the vaccine may get wasted.”

Dr Kang said there would be 10 sessions at each site (one each day). On any given vaccination site, not more than 100 healthcare workers would be vaccinated. The first phase of the vaccination drive will start on January 16 in Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, the PGI has 12,000 healthcare workers to be vaccinated within the institute. Its consignment of vaccine is yet to be received from the Central Government.