Goa's 2nd dry run of COVID-19 vaccination held at 8 hospitals

The second dry run of COVID-19vaccination rollout was conducted in Goa on Friday at eighthospitals, a senior health department official said.

While six of the hospitals where the mock drill washeld were government-run, two others were private facilities,he said.

The first dry run in Goa was conducted on January 2along with other states.

''As part of the nationwide exercise, the second dryrun in the state was conducted at government-run facilities atValpoi, Candolim, Mapusa (North Goa), Quepem, Chinchinim,Margao (South Goa) and private hospitals Manipal Hospital atDona Paula (North Goa) and Victor Hospital in Margao (SouthGoa),'' the senior official said.

The state government is all set to implement thevaccination programme with the required infrastructure put inplace, he said.

''When the actual vaccination process starts in thestate, a total of 18,277 health care workers would be giventhe vaccine in the first phase and cold chain to store 10 lakhdoses has already been put in place,'' he added.

In the first phase, 100 people each in 21 hospitals ofthe state would be administered the vaccine on a daily basis,the official said.

''As part of the process, patients would be observedfor side effects for half an hour after the inoculation,before they are allowed to leave the hospital,'' he said.