Earlier, the pulse polio immunisation programme was scheduled on January 17. But it was postponed due to the COVID vaccination drive, which started on January 16. Union Health Ministry has rescheduled the polio vaccination programme across the country to January 31.

Health secretary J Radhakrishnan stated that Tamil Nadu will observe pulse polio immunization drive across the State even as the COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers being carried out at several sites. The district healthcare workers have been intimated about the same and the drive will be observed in all government hospitals, district headquartered hospitals and urban primary health centres. The senior officials from the state health department said non-COVID services should also be done along with COVID measures.

On the national level, President will launch the pulse polio immunisation drive at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.