Odisha to receive Covid-19 vaccine directly from supplier

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha is among 19 states and UTs which will receive the Covid-19 vaccine from the supplier/manufacturer in the first phase. The vaccine is expected to arrive in the State next week. In the first phase, Odisha requires around seven lakh doses of vaccine to be administered to 3,28,560 lakh healthcare workers (HCWs) and ICDS functionaries.

As per the cold chain management guideline, once the vaccine is airlifted from the manufacturer to the State Capital, the vials will be taken to the State vaccine store and then transported to regional vaccine stores at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Ganjam, Balasore, Balangir, Kandhamal, Koraput, Sambalpur and Sundargarh through special vans.

The vaccine will be dispatched to 32 district vaccine stores from the regional stores. The vials will be taken to session sites in the ice-lined refrigerators (ILRs). All arrangements have been done as per the cold chain protocol, said Director (Family Welfare) Dr Bijay Panigrahi.     

The State government made it clear that the HCWs enrolled in the Co-WIN portal will be vaccinated in the first phase. The State and Central police forces, home guards and civil defence personnel, disaster management volunteers, prison staff and municipal workers will be administered vaccine in the second phase.

While the State has received 21 lakh syringes and 24 ILRs, the Centre would supply 315 ILRs, 41 deep freezers, six walk-in-coolers, two walk-in freezers by March 31. The Odisha State Medical Corporation has procured 1006 ILRs, 30 deep freezers and 7331 needle destroyers. 

Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said Collectors have been asked to finalise the selection of session sites by January 10 for this phase vaccination.