K'taka to receive 13.90 lakh vaccine vials in a couple of days: Health Minister

Karnataka Health Minister KSudhakar on Friday said the state is expected to receive13,90,000 vials of vaccine against COVID-19 in a day or two.

''The big good news for Karnataka is that I havereceived information from the Union Health Ministry thattomorrow or the day after probably we will be receiving13,90,000 vials of vaccine for the state. It's a big happynews for all of us,'' Sudhakar said.

Speaking to reporters after visiting a privatehospital here, where vaccination dry run is being conducted,he said, the vaccination will be first administered to healthcare workers.

''We have registered 6.30 lakh healthcare professionalsin Karnataka till date. Those who are left out, may be in somemedical or dental colleges, we have requested them toregister,'' he said adding that health workers will be followedby those with comorbidities, those above 60 years and those inother departments like Police and Revenue working against thepandemic.

COVID-19 vaccination dry run is on at a total of 263different health facilities across Karnataka on Friday.

It is being held in 24 district hospitals, 20 medicalcolleges, 43 taluk hospitals, 31 community health centres, 87primary health centres, 30 urban primary health centres and 28private facilities in the state.

The Minister who visited some facilities here, wherethe dry run is going on said, arrangements and preparednesswere quite good, and the process is being followed as per theguidelines issued.

The first round of the dry run, an exercise for end-to-end testing of COVID-19 vaccination process was held in infive districts of Karnataka- Bengaluru (including BBMP),Belagavi, Kalburgi, Mysore and Shivamogga- on December 2 asper the government of India guidelines.