Odisha receives first consignment of COVID-19 vaccine

Odisha on Tuesday receivedthe first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine before launch ofthe vaccination programme across the state from January 16.A consignment consisting of 34 boxes weighing over1,200 kg of Covishield vaccine, manufactured by SerumInstitute of India SII arrived at the Biju PatnaikInternational Airport here on a special flight from Pune viaNew Delhi, a senior official said.The day has finally arrived.

Odisha on Tuesday receivedthe first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine before launch ofthe vaccination programme across the state from January 16.

A consignment consisting of 34 boxes weighing over1,200 kg of Covishield vaccine, manufactured by SerumInstitute of India (SII) arrived at the Biju PatnaikInternational Airport here on a special flight from Pune viaNew Delhi, a senior official said.

''The day has finally arrived. We are fully ready forthe vaccination drive starting January 16. Our officialsreceived the consignment and took them to the state vaccinecentre amidst tight security,'' Additional Chief Secretary,Health and Family Welfare, P K Mohapatra said.

The state government had made elaborate securityarrangement at the airport and outside before arrival of thespecial flight carrying the vaccine.

The state government has already asked all thedistrict collectors to send insulated vans for transportationof the vaccines to their respective area, Mohapatra said,adding that the Superintendents of Police are also instructedto ensure safety of the valuable vaccines. The vaccines willfurther be sent to different centre across Odisha through1,222 ice-lined vans.

The state has been allotted 4.08 lakh doses ofCovishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin will soon reach in thenext phase. While the health workers including doctors, nursesand paramedical staff will be administered vaccines in thefirst phase, the front line workers like police, para-militaryand Disaster Management personnel and Revenue Departmentofficials will be vaccinated in the second phase, the officialadded.

Mohapatra said the state government has furnished adatabase of 3.28 lakh health workers to the Centre forvaccination in the first phase. The Serum Institute of India(SII) has sent a consignment of 40,800 vials of vaccine having4.08 lakh doses. Another 30,000 doses of Covaxin of BharatBiotech have also been dispatched.

Replying a question, Mohapatra said the elderly healthworkers will be given vaccines on priority basis followed byall of them. The state has already identified 162 vaccinationsites where people will get their much desired corona vaccine,he said.

Odisha Health Director and Vaccine In-charge Dr BijayPanigrahi said though the state has submitted a list of 3.28lakh health workers for the vaccination in the first phase,their number has so far increased to 3.33 lakh beneficiariesas the registration continued. All of them will beadministered the vaccine in the first phase.

''We aim at vaccinating 16,000 people on the first dayof the vaccination drive,'' he said.

The H&F department informed that the vaccinationcentres include district headquarters hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, CHCs (community health centre), PHCs(primary health centre), medical colleges and privatehospitals.

Two sites Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar andSundergarh district headquarters hospital have been identifiedfor the two-ways video conferencing, Panigrahi said, addingthat the Centre can take feedback from these two through VC.

Meanwhile, the official said the state government hasalready conducted a dry run for vaccination twice this month on January 2 and January 8.

In a related development, the Commissionerate ofPolice, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack cautioned the people to be carefulof fraudulent calls in the name of registration forvaccination. Bhubaneswar DCP US Dash said that the police haveinformation regarding fraudsters finding a way to cheat peoplein the name of vaccines.

Fraudsters have started calling people in the name ofregistration for COVID-19 vaccine, the DCP said whilecautioning people not to share their personal details withanyone to save themselves from being trapped by suchfraudsters.

The prime requirement of all cyber fraudsters is toget personal data of the people the DCP said, adding that oncethe anti-socials get people's personal details, they caneasily dupe them in several ways.