Priority list for COVID-19 vaccine ready, 21,000 personnel

A list of people who should be inoculated on priority in Tamil Nadu is ready and 21,000 personnel were being trained and 46,000 centres identified in the state for the rollout of the immunisation exercise after the vaccine is made available, a top state health official said here on Thursday. The comprehesive list, including about five lakh health workers, all other frontline personnel like those from municipal administration, revenue and police, the elderly and those with co-morbidities is ready, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

Referring to a meeting with Secretary, Union Health Ministry via a virtual link on Wednesday, the top official said 21,000 personnel who could give vaccination shots have been identified and they were being trained. Also, he said 46,000 centres for the purpose of vaccination has been identified and requisite infrastructure to handle the immunisation drive like cold chain facilities was ready, he told reporters.

Tamil Nadu alone has as many as 51 walk-in coolers and 2,800 secondary cold storage points ready, he said. ''Vaccines are expected in January. The approval for vaccines should come from the Centre.'' Since Tamil Nadu has more elderly population, it is expected that the State could be allocated more vaccines and such aspects were under discussion, he said.