UP govt: 9 lakh health workers to be get Covid shots in first three days

The Uttar Pradesh government has aimed at inoculating nine lakh health workers with Covid-19 vaccine in the first three days of the vaccination drive, set to begin from January 16.

After the conclusion of the third and final phase of the dry run of the vaccination drive in the state, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said that all the government and non-government health workers will be vaccinated in the first phase.

“Nine lakh health workers will be vaccinated in the first three days. Remaining those in the category who could not be vaccinated in the first three because of any reason will be vaccinated on the fourth day,” Prasad said.

The government has set up 1,500 vaccination centres across the state that include CHCs, Block level PHCs, district hospitals, railway hospitals, government as well as private medical colleges.

On Monday, the third dry run of the vaccination drive was conducted. While the first two dry runs were conducted as part of the nationwide exercise, UP is the only state to have conducted three dry runs.

“Today the dry run for Covid vaccination was conducted across the state at 1500 places with a total of 3,000 sessions. The dry run included a detailed analysis of all the facilities including the vaccination room, waiting room, observation room or the security facilities. From January 16, the first phase of the actual vaccination process will start in which health workers will be inoculated,” he said.

“In the second phase, police, jail personnel, home guards, sanitation workers of urban bodies, revenue personnel engaged in the work of civil defence and surveillance etc, will be vaccinated. In the third phase, people above the age of 50 years, and those below 50 years who suffer from serious diseases like cancer, diabetes etc, will be vaccinated,” he added.

Private hospitals with more than 100 health workers can also be made vaccination centres later.

Every vaccination session would include a five-member team comprising two security personnel, one diagnostician, one vaccinator and one mobiliser.

The vaccination will require two doses and without both of them there will be no immunity, Prasad said, adding that those vaccinated should be confident about immunity only a week after the second dose.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took the first-hand feedback of the vaccination preparations and said that Covid vaccination was the top priority of his government at present.

The CM held a video-conference with the district magistrates who informed him of the status of vaccination preparedness in their respective district. The CM asserted that the vaccination guidelines issued by the Central government have to be strictly followed.

The CM has directed the concerned authorities to ensure the safety, transportation and cold chains for storing the vaccines.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 disease claimed ten more lives and infected 516 more people in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll due to pandemic to 8,504 and the tally of coronavirus cases to 5,93,680 in the state on Monday.

The number of active cases in the state has now come down to 10,864 with 4,061 recuperating in home isolation, 1,045 in private hospitals and the remaining ones in government facilities, Prasad said.

A total of 5,74,312 people have recovered so far from the infection in the state, he said, pegging the recovery rate in the state at 96. 74 per cent.

According to the Health Department bulletin, four fresh deaths were reported from Lucknow, two from Ayodhya and one each from Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Unnao and Kannauj.

The largest number of fresh cases 121 was reported from Lucknow, it said.

On Sunday over 1.23 lakh samples were tested taking the total number of tests conducted in the state to over 2.54 crores till date, Prasad added. —With PTI