Bhubaneswar: Odisha Health & Family Welfare Department today asked the District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to refrain from drive-in & door-step COVID-19 vaccination.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) PK Mohapatra has written to All the Collectors, Municipal Commissioners, CDM & PHOs to refrain from COVID -19 Drive-in vaccination and vaccination at door-step and only to arrange sessions in suitable COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) with adequate space.
“It has come to my notice that COVID-19 drive-in vaccination and door-step vaccination has been started in some districts, the Health ACS said.
Mohapatra said that as per the COVID-19 Operational guidelines of Govt. of India, MoHFW, drive-in or door-step COVID-19 vaccination is not permitted. The guideline clearly says that vaccination sessions shall be conducted in places with adequate space for waiting area, vaccination room and observation room and have adequate facility to manage AEFI.”
“As per guideline, the beneficiaries have to be observed for at least 30 minutes after vaccination for AEFI (if any). In drive-in / door step strategies, it will be difficult to manage AEFI, if it occurs, and there is also high likelihood of vaccine wastage,” the letter read.
The Health ACS further requested the district and municipal authorities to refrain from such strategies and only to conduct sessions in suitable CVCs with adequate space following the COVID-19 operational guidelines.
