Two-day dry run for COVID-19 vaccine begins in 4 states

A two-day dry run for the COVID-19 vaccine started on December 28, 2020, in Assam, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat. The dry runs which include transportation management and checks on cold storage and the focus on the management of adverse events after immunization will be part of the program.

All the states will be reporting the observations that have recorded during the program to the centre. The government plans on covering 30 crore people in the first phase once the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out. So far, a total of 2,360 training sessions has been held. For the process, 7,000 officials have been trained which includes vaccinators and medical officers.

Objective:

•  The dry run aims at identifying challenges. It plans on making the required changes in the plan so that the final process of the vaccination becomes foolproof.

•  It will also provide hands-on experience to the program managers at various levels.

•  The two-day exercise will enable the testing of the vaccination process, except the vaccine, and will enable end-to-end mobilization.

•  It will also check the usage of Co-WIN in the field environment. It is an app that identifies beneficiaries for vaccines as per the operational guidelines.

•  The linages will be checked between implementation, planning, and reporting mechanisms and challenges will be identified.

•  The exercise will also guideway forward before the actual implementation. It will include improvements that might be required in the envisaged process.

What will happen during the dry run?

•  The five sessions will be held across the four states at identified locations with 25 test pre-identified beneficiaries such as healthcare workers for each session.

•  The mock drill will also include monitoring and review at the district and block levels.

•  The Adverse Event Following Immunisation panels will be formed.

•  The treatment centres will also be identified if in case the vaccine triggers an adverse response in any of the beneficiaries.

•  The testing of the vaccination process will also include vaccine and logistics mobilization to the sites.

•  After the dry run is completed, a report will be prepared for the State Task Force. It will review the feedback and will guide further actions. It will also be submitted to the Union Health Ministry.

Coronavirus vaccine in India:

Earlier in December 2020, Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, and Pfizer had applied for emergency use authorization to the Drugs Controller General of India for their Coronavirus vaccine. As per the officials, the government will launch the vaccine at the start of 2021.