Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 10 (ANI): After the announcement of a date for the COVID-19 vaccination drive by the Centre, an action plan has been prepared for the successful implementation of the vaccine in the state, Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said on Sunday.
“The Department of Health has formulated an action plan to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine is delivered soon after arriving and that the vaccination is successful. During the launch, as many as 133 centres will be set up for COVID-19 vaccination in the state,” Shailaja said.
She added that more centres will be set up in the future later and the highest number of centres have been set up in Ernakulam district.
“There will be 12 centres in Ernakulam district and 11 centres each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode districts. The remaining districts will have 9 centers each. All types of institutions including government sector allopathic-AYUSH and private hospitals will be included,” the Minister added.
She informed that the vaccine would be available to all types of staff, including doctors, nurses and other staff in the health sector.
“Arrangements are being made to vaccinate 100 people a day at one centre. Each centre will have a waiting area, vaccination room and observation room. Centres will be set up in compliance with COVID-19 standards,” she said.
The vaccination drive will be the responsibility of district collectors and the control room will be set up to coordinate vaccination activities in the districts, she informed. “The cold storage network is fully equipped. In case of damage to the cold storage, a replacement system will be installed immediately. Employees are being trained at the district and block level. The task force will meet in all the districts to evaluate the activities and report to the health department.”
As many as 3,58,574 people have registered for the COVID-19 vaccination.
The dry run was conducted in 52 centres in the state in two phases. While the first phase was conducted on January 4, the second phase was on January 8.
Polio immunisation drive in Kerala postponed
The pulse polio immunisation drive in Kerala, which was scheduled on January 17 as part of the National Polio Eradication Program, has been postponed, State Health Minister KK Shailaja informed on Sunday.
The official said that the drive has been postponed on the directives of the Union Health Ministry as the country is currently focusing on the COVID-19 vaccination program.
“Pulse polio immunisation was decided on January 17 in the state, as part of National Polio Eradication Program. But Union Health Ministry asked us to postpone distribution of polio vaccine as COVID vaccine was being distributed,” Shailaja said adding that the revised date will be announced later.
On January 8, Union Minister Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had announced a three-day national immunisation drive for polio from January 17 onwards, but the Ministry has postponed it in view of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. (ANI)
