NEW DELHI: The first batch of Covishield vaccine from the Pune-based Serum Institute of India reached Delhi on Tuesday and has been safely stored in the cold-storage at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH), a Delhi government health facility.
According to the hospital administration, they have received around 2.64 lakh vaccine doses which will be further distributed to 89 hospitals — both private and government — in the city.
Owing to limited availability of cold storage facilities in many hospitals, a majority of them are likely to receive the vaccine vials on January 16, the day the vaccination programme begins, the hospital authorities said.
“Vaccines will be dispatched on the same day early morning. Each hospital will be given vaccines as listed,” said an RGSSH official. Earlier, the vaccines were kept at temperature-controlled facilities at two cargo terminals on arrival at the IGI Airport.
Temperature-controlled facility, ranging from -20°C to 25°C can efficiently and safely handle these temperature sensitive vaccines, said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO, Delhi International Airport Limited.
“The Delhi airport has been relentlessly working for timely and smooth supply of medical equipment and other relief material in and out of Delhi to various destinations in India during the Covid times. We have cool chambers and cool dollies to maintain the temperature required for these vaccines at the cargo terminal and during transit between aircraft and terminal and viceversa. Our both terminals can handle around 5.7 million vials in a day.”
Meanwhile, officials of all 11 districts were directed to speed up the preparations for the immunisation programme.
According to an official from the West district, the target is to complete the first round of vaccination of all doctors and healthcare workers by January 24 and to begin inoculating frontline workers from January 25 onwards.
The Delhi government will launch the vaccination drive at LNJP Hospital on Saturday in the presence of CM Arvind Kejriwal. Health Minister Satyendar Jain is also expected to be present.
Clinical team to observe Covid jab recipients for 30 minutes
The list of healthcare workers has been already uploaded on the CoWIN platform and an individual will receive a message on his/her phone a day before the date of vaccination.
“All the beneficiaries have been listed on the portal and required area allocation has been done. Total 10 medical personnel will be involved, including the nodal officer.
Initially, 100 people are expected to be vaccinated in a day. Later, depending on the government directive, it can be increased. All recipients will be observed for 30 minutes under the clinical team’s supervision.
In case of any adverse event, the affected person will be shifted to designated centre,” said Dr Prashant Kulshrestha, Deputy Medical Superintendent, PSRI Hospital, a designated Covid vaccination centre.
Three-layer security
DCP (Shahadra) Amit Sharma said police were deployed at the storage area of the hospital. CCTV cameras, Delhi Police and hospital security staff are keeping a close eye on the storage area
(With inputs from Parvez Sultan)