Chandigarh gears up for COVID-19 vaccination, prepares sites to store vaccines

Chandigarh [India], December 17 (ANI): As the COVID-19 vaccination programme will soon begin in India, the Chandigarh administration has geared itself on how to vaccinate people when it will be available.
Also, vaccinators have been trained for the vaccination programme.
"We are fully prepared on how to vaccinate people when vaccines will be available. We have also planned on how vaccines will be stored and transported," Manoj Parida, Advisor, Chandigarh Administration told ANI on Wednesday.
"We have prepared sites where vaccines will be stored and vaccinators have been trained," he added.
In the government facility, Chandigarh has 59 sites and more than 100 sites in the private medical sector for COVID-19 vaccination.
The UT health department will be giving the vaccine to frontline workers first, including paramedical staff, police and municipal workers. "We are ready with manpower and 300 vaccinators are available in the Union Territory."
He further asserted that Chandigarh has a population of just 12 lakhs so it will not be difficult to "complete the whole vaccination system within 15 days if needed".
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has pledged for "One needle, One syringe, Only one time" and prepared guidelines for safer disposal of used injections.
The Centre in its COVID-19 vaccine guidelines has directed states to ensure safe injection practices during the biggest vaccination programme to be held in India.
The government strategy is "One needle, One syringe, Only one time". Health experts opine that it will probably create large amount of syringe waste during vaccination programme.
The government's National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) recommended that a prioritised population group will specifically be vaccinated. It includes: (i) Approximately 1 crore, healthcare workers (HCWs) healthcare providers and workers in healthcare setting, (ii) about 2 crore frontline Workers (FLWs)which includes personnel from state and central police, armed forces, home guards, civil defence and disaster management volunteers, municipal workers, (iii) approximately 27 crore prioritised age group population above 50 years and persons below 50 years with associated co-morbidities. (ANI)