Health secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said a meeting will be held among health secretaries and ministers today, (January 11) to finalise the modalities of the vaccination rollout.

“At the meeting with all Union secretaries, we will be given overarching guidelines that need to be followed, following which we will release the schedule that has been planned,” he further said.

The vaccination drive in Tamil Nadu will be first rolled out to six lakh healthcare workers, of which approximately 4.5 lakh have already registered in the mobile app. “We hope to complete the first round of vaccinations within a week,” Radhakrishnan said. The initial shots will be given to frontline workers (including doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff). The entire first phase of vaccination is likely to be completed in 2-3 weeks time. Presently, we are expecting the vaccines to arrive by air-cargo from Pune.

Upon arrival, the vaccines will be shifted to the Central warehouse in Periamet, from where the vaccines will be dispersed to Regional warehouses across the state through cold storages logistics. Around 51 mobile 'walking coolers' have been put in place for the transport of vaccines.

Radhakrishnan further said, cold storages in 2,618 Government Hospitals and primary health centres across Tamil Nadu have been set up for the vaccination drive. Around 28 lakhs of syringes have also been procured for the drive.

With the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India set to rollout on January 16, the transportation of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India's facility in Pune in Maharashtra is likely to start from today. The vaccine-carrying trucks will move out from Manjari location of the SII with elaborate police security.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is expected to launch the COVID-19 vaccine drive in TN from Madurai on January 16. He is expected to arrive in Madurai to inaugurate the 'JalliKattu' event.