First consignment of COVID-19 vaccines reaches Patna

The first consignment of 54,900vials of Covishield vaccines landed at the Jay Prakash NarayanInternational Airport here on Tuesday, four days ahead of thelaunch of a nationwide inoculation drive against COVID-19.

A SpiceJet flight (SG757) carrying the vaccines fromthe Serum Institute of India facility in Pune landed at theairport at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, a press release issued by theState Health Society (SHS) here said.

''Made in India 54,900 vials of Coronavirus vaccineCovishield reached Patna. People in Bihar will be vaccinatedfrom January 16 (2021),'' Bihars Health minister Mangal Pandeytweeted.

Each vial contains 10 doses of the vaccine, the SHSrelease said.

Besides the health minister, health departmentsPrincipal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit and SHS Executive DirectorManoj Kumar were present at the airport here to receive theconsignment.

The first batch of vaccines was taken in refrigeratedvans to the State Vaccine Store at Nalanda Medical College andHospital (NMCH) here.

The central government had on January 9 announced thelaunch of COVID-19 vaccination drive that will begin fromJanuary 16 and priority will be given to nearly three crorehealthcare and frontline workers.

The decision was taken after Prime Minister NarendraModi reviewed the COVID-19 situation and vaccine preparedness.

As per the guidelines issued by the Centralgovernment, a person will be given two doses of the vaccine.

The person will be administered the second dose after 28 daysof the first shot.

It will be the responsibility of the districtconcerned to preserve and protect the vaccine for the next 28days, the press release said.

Asserting that the vaccine is completely safe foreveryone as it has been approved after following due process,it said that the government has planned to provide vaccines toeveryone in a phased manner.

The availability of anaphylaxis kit (to treat an acutelife-threatening allergic reaction) and AEFI (adverse eventfollowing immunisation) kit will be ensured at the vaccinationsession sites.

Necessary training will also be imparted to thevaccinators.

The list of all the beneficiaries named forinoculation on January 16 will have to be displayed at thevaccination session spots two days in advance, it added.