Sanitation worker first to receive COVID-19 shot in J'khand

A sanitation worker was the firstperson to receive the COVID-19 jab in Jharkhand, as thevaccination drive began across the country on Saturday, withChief Minister Hemant Soren expressing hope that India wouldsoon tide over the crisis.

Mariyam Gudiya, an employee at Ranchi sadar hospital,received the shot in the presence of Soren, and other seniorofficials, one of whom said 48 vaccination centres have beenset up in 24 districts of the state.

''A complete action plan for the drive has beenprepared in Jharkhand, in line with the guidelines issued bythe central government,'' the chief minister said.

According to the health department, a total of 6,816workers have been trained to administer vaccines to the peopleof the state, and 275 cold chains readied so far for storingthe vials.

Arrangements have also been made to deal withemergency situations, in case anyone feels unwell after beinggiven the dose, the department said.

Frontline health workers would receive the shot beforeothers, and every vaccination centre would be attending to 100such people at the 48 centres for the next few days, PrincipalSecretary of health department Nitin Madan Kulkarni said.

The second dose would be administered after 28 days.

''As many as 1.40 lakh health workers (private andgovernment) have been registered on the 'Co-Win' portal forthe first phase of the drive,'' Kulkarni said.

The state, as of now, has received 1.62 lakh vialsfrom Serum Institute if India in Pune, he said, adding thatseveral army personnel would also be given the shot during thefirst phase.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)