KOCHI: The second batch of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Wednesday morning. A GoAir flight carrying 22 boxes of vaccine landed at Kochi airport at 11:15 am carrying 3,60,500 doses of vaccines.
According to the health officials, 12 boxes of the consignment are allotted for Ernakulam district and nine boxes will be sent to Kozhikode. One box is meant for Lakshadweep. The boxes for Ernakulam and Kozhikode were transported by freezer trucks. The box containing vaccine for Lakshadweep was ramp transferred to a Pawan Hans which departed for the Island immediately.
According to sources, each box contains 9500 doses of vaccines. “The doses for the five districts including Palakkad, Thrissur, Idukki and Kottayam will be distributed by evening,” said a health official.
During the first phase, Ernakulam district received 1.80 lakh doses. The vaccine was packed in 15 boxes with 12000 doses each.
The storage facility for the vaccine vials in its required temperatures has been arranged at four centres in the districts. The health department vehicles transported the vials to the storage centres immediately after the consignment was unloaded from the aircraft.
Meanwhile, vaccination drive continued for the fourth day in the state. So far 24,501 health workers have been vaccinated. Ernakulam, being the district with the most number of health workers registered for the shots, has vaccinated 1854 health workers till date.
The government has decided to intensify the vaccination drive in view of the Centre's criticism of the slow pace., Ernakulam District Administration has identified around 260 vaccination centres.
“Directions have been given to the officials in charge at the centres to make necessary arrangements including setting up vaccination booths in the identified centres. The centres will become operational soon,” said Dr S Sreedevi, District Surveillance Officer.
The first phase of the vaccination for the frontline health workers began on Saturday in the state. In the first consignment, which arrived on January 13, the state received 4,33,500 doses of vaccines.