Mizoram will receive 18,500 COVID-19 vaccines in first phase: Health Secy

Mizoram will receive 18,500COVID-19 vaccines in the first phase of vaccination drive, atop health department official said on Tuesday.

State Health secretary H. Lalengmawia told PTI that aconsignment of 18,500 doses of Covishield vaccinesmanufactured by Serum Institute of India will soon arrivein the state.

He said that 14,107 state healthcare workers and 314central healthcare workers, have been identified to receiveCOVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.

Collection of data for frontline workers like thepolice, defence and security personnel and sanitation workers,among others, is being undertaken.

The health secretary said that about 8,325 healthcareworkers will be vaccinated in the first phase as vaccines areto be given in two doses.

All the beneficiaries, who are registered in thedatabase, will receive COVID-19 vaccine one after another, hesaid.

Lalengmawia, who is also the chairman of the statetask force for COVID-19 vaccines, said that the stategovernment is fully prepared for the first phase ofvaccination drive.

He said that the state government has set up fourvaccination sites - Aizawl Civil Hospital, Lunglei CivilHospital, Kulikawn Sub-District Hospital and Urban PublicHealth Centre at ITI Veng in Aizawl, where the first roll-outof COVID-19 vaccine will be conducted on Saturday.

He further said that the state government has askedthe Centre to provide three additional temperature controlledvans apart from the existing nine to transport COVID-19vaccines within the state.

Lalengmawia on Tuesday convened a meeting of the statetask force for COVID-19 vaccine to review the preparedness.

The meeting said that 100 beneficiaries each will begiven vaccines in the four vaccination sites on the launchingday of the vaccines on Saturday.

The meeting also said that the Centre's operationguidelines will be strictly followed during the inoculationdrive.