All set for dry run of Covid vaccination in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 26

The industrial town is all set for the dry run of the Covid-19 vaccination drive on December 28 and 29. This was stated by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Varinder Kumar Sharma here today.

Chairing a special meeting of the district civil and police administration, the DC, flanked by the Commissioner of Police (CP) Rakesh Agrawal, said, “More than 30,000 healthcare workers, who have been on the frontline in the battle against the ‘Chinese virus’, will be given vaccine shots at seven different locations across the district during the first phase of the two-day mega vaccination dry run drive.”

Ludhiana, which has assumed the dubious distinction of Covid capital of Punjab, is among the two districts – the other being Nawanshahr – chosen by the state government to launch the vaccination in Punjab.

“The first phase of beneficiaries will include healthcare workers in both government and private sectors of the district, who have registered themselves on the government portal. Anganwadi workers, population above 50 years of age, below 50 years with comorbidities and others will be covered in the subsequent phases,” the DC added.

“The seven locations finalised for the purpose will be located in subdivisions of the district. They are Civil Hospital and Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana, Raikot, Jagraon, Machhiwara, Khanna and Payal,” the DC said.

This activity was aimed at testing the laid out mechanisms for Covid vaccination roll-out in the state, the DC added. “The dry run will conduct end-to-end testing of Covid vaccination process. Pre-identified beneficiaries from the specified groups supported by Co-WIN, an electronic application, will be vaccinated during the drive,” the DC added. The primary objective of the dry run included assessing the operational feasibility of using Co-WIN application in the field environment and to test linkages between planning, the DC said. Implementation and reporting mechanisms would identify challenges and guide a way forward prior to the actual implementation of the massive vaccination campaign, the DC added.

Covid vaccine would not be available off the shelf for the time being and only people, who registered themselves on the government portal, would be covered under the vaccination drive, the DC said.

“Upon registration, beneficiaries will receive an SMS informing about the date and place where Covid vaccine will be administered to them,” the DC added.

Pertinently, Punjab was among the four states along with Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat, identified by the Centre for undertaking the dry run of the Covid vaccine in the country.

The immunisation partners – the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) – would support the dry run activity.

Joint CP J Elanchezhian, ADC (D) Sandeep Kumar, ADC Jagraon Neeru Katyal Gupta, ADC (General) Amarjit Bains, Civil Surgeon Dr Rajesh Kumar Bagga, all SDMs and other senior officials of the civil and the police district administration were present at the meeting.