Covaxin to be given at six out of 166 sites in TN

CHENNAI: The massive Covid-19 vaccination programme will begin at 166 session sites across Tamil Nadu on Saturday. Covishield will be administered at 160 sites and Covaxin at six, said Director of Public Health T S Selvavinayagam. Covaxin will be given after receiving consent from recipients, as per the Central government’s instructions.

In Chennai, the vaccination drive will be held at 12 sites. The vaccine will be administered at four government medical college hospitals in the city, including the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Among private hospitals, it will be administered at Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road and MGM Healthcare Hospital.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will launch the vaccination campaign in TN after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches the nationwide campaign. The vaccination drive will go on for months, until every eligible person is covered, Selvavinayagam said. The State has received 5,36,500 doses of Covishield and 20,000 of Covaxin from the Union Health Ministry.

Speaking at a ‘Media sensitisation workshop on Covid-19 vaccine’ organised by the Press Information Bureau, Dr K Vinaykumar, joint director (immunisation), Directorate of Public Health, said 10 eminent persons will receive the vaccine on Saturday to encourage people. He added that over 4.8 lakh healthcare workers in the State have registered to receive the vaccine. Recipients will get to choose which vaccine they receive — Covishield or Covaxin.