Bhubaneswar: As the State is almost ready to receive the first consignment containing vials of Covishield vaccine, the elderly health workers will be vaccinated first, informed Additional Chief Secretary (Health), PK Mohapatra, on Tuesday.
“Everybody across the State is desperately waiting for this moment. We are happy that the COVID-19 vaccine consignment will reach the State in the afternoon today,” said Mohapatra.
Around 3.28 lakh health workers including Anganwadi workers will be administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase.
According to the decision, elderly health workers will be vaccinated first. We have decided to give priority to the districts which have high number of COVID-19 cases,” Mohapatra added.
Mohapatra along with Director Family Welfare, Dr Bijay Panigrahi visited the State Vaccine Store today afternoon and inspected preparedness to stock the Covishield supply safely.
“All district Collectors and Chief District Medical Officers have been asked to send their vaccine vans to Bhubaneswar. Currently, at the State Vaccine Store, we are chalking out a plan on how many number of vaccines will be sent to different districts,” said Mohapatra.
According to the arrangements made by the Health and Family Welfare department, the vaccine vials will be stored in the cold storage at the state vaccine store.
Odisha will receive around 4.08 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine prepared by the Serum Institute, he added.
The first consignment containing vials of Covishield vaccine dispatched from Pune’s Serum Institute of India will reach in Bhubaneswar in the first phase today.
