Goa: 18,277 health workers to get COVID-19 vaccine in phase 1

As many as 18,277 healthcareworkers in Goa will be administered the COVID-19 vaccine inthe first phase, a senior health department official said onThursday.

The state task force for the COVID-19 vaccinationdrive met in Panaji during the day. The meeting, chaired bystate health secretary Amit Satija, was held ahead of thesecond dry run for vaccination on Friday.

''The second dry run will be held at six governmentfacilities Valpoi, Candolim, Mapusa (North Goa), Quepem,Chinchinim, Margao (South Goa) - and private facilities,Manipal Hospital at Dona Paula (North Goa) and Victor Hospitalin Margao (South Goa),'' the senior official who attended themeeting said.

The data of over 12,000 healthcare workers ingovernment sector and over 5,000 in private sector is readyand a total 18,277 persons will be inoculated in the firstphase, he said.

''Walk-in coolers with a capacity to hold 10 lakh dosesand ice-lined refrigerators (ILRs) with capacity to store atotal of 9,26,444 doses are available,'' the official said.

At least 3,706 vaccinators from government sector and3,397 from the private sector are available in the state,the official said.

Moreover, government and private officials, who willbe part of the immunization programme, have also been trainedfor handling Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI), hesaid.

''AEFIs will be handled at respective health centresand referred to district hospitals or Goa Medical College asper need,'' he said.

The Goa State Pollution Control Board has authorizedall peripheral health centres to handle biomedical wastegenerated during the Immunisation drive, the official said.

Bio-medical waste from private sector will be managedby the respective hospitals, he added.