VIJAYAWADA: After setting a record by vaccinating over six lakh people in a day during Tika Utsav in April, the State government is now planning to break its own record by administering the Covid-19 vaccine to nearly 10 lakh beneficiaries on Sunday.All arrangements are in place for the mega vaccination drive to be held from 7 am to 6 pm across the State tomorrow. District Collectors are overseeing the last minute arrangements for the success of mega vaccination drive. Women with children aged below 5 years and other priority groups in the 45 plus category will be vaccinated during the drive.
According to a senior official in the Health Department, 56.63 per cent of people aged above 45 years have been administered at least one dose of Covid vaccine so far. Now, the target is to cover the remaining 43.4 per cent of that category. As on date, 5.63 lakh of 18.55 lakh mothers of children aged below five years have been given the first jab.
One lakh doses of Covishield each has been dispatched to Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Anantapur, along with 5,000 doses of Covaxin each. Other districts have been supplied 55,000 to 60,000 doses of Covishield and 5,000 doses of Covaxin each.
First-time recipients to be prioritised
As on date, 1,22,83,479 doses have been administered to beneficiaries – 26,41,000 people have been given two doses and 71 lakh single dose. In June, 2.66 lakh people are to be administered Covaxin second dose, and 2.1 lakh Covishield second dose. During the mega drive, priority will be to given to administration of the first jab. Covid vaccine will also be administered to those who are due to get the second dose.
All PHCs, Urban Health Centres and village secretariats wherever possible, will be used as vaccination centres. Care is being taken to ensure at least three rooms are there in the building (vaccination centre) along with drinking water, proper sanitation and power supply. Arrangements have also been made at the centres to ensure that beneficiaries do not feel any convenience during vaccination.
All MROs, MPDOs, DHMOs, DIOs and other officials along with revenue, health, municipal and panchayat staff and police personnel are being involved to ensure the success of the mega drive.
At village secretariat level, ANMs, Asha workers and village volunteers will coordinate to ensure that those in the targeted group get vaccinated without any hassles. At the same time, emphasis will be laid on ensuring Covid Appropriate Behaviour among beneficiaries at the vaccine centres. Besides those who booked their slots to get vaccinated, people can also get vaccinated by producing Aadhaar card as identity proof.
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