The dry run for the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in Coimbatore district started at the Government Medical College and ESI Hospital here on Saturday.
Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S.P. Velumani and Minister for Health and Family Welfare C. Vijayabaskar inspected the arrangements at the ESI Hospital and witnessed the first dummy beneficiary undergoing the mock vaccination.
Mr. Velumani said that Tamil Nadu rose to the forefront in COVID-19 management in the country, receiving appreciation from Prime Minister. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami oversaw the containment works by making personal visits to affected areas, he said.
Mr. Vijayabaskar said that the protocol prescribed by the World Health Organisation has to be followed for the COVID-19 vaccination.
“Waiting area, vaccination room and observation room are part of a vaccination centre. We have identified 47,200 vaccination centres in the State. Training has been given for 21,200 healthworkers, who were identified for vaccination roll-out. Arrangements have been taken to provide the vaccine to 1.6 crore people in the State in the first phase. Of these, 6 lakh people, including healthcare professionals who are in the forefront of COVID-19 management will receive the vaccine first,” he said.
According to the Minister, only one person from Tamil Nadu was tested positive for the UK variant of COVID-19 so far. While samples of three persons returned negative, results of other persons were under evaluation at the National Institute of Virology, Pune, he said.
PSG Hospitals, Seethalakshmi Maternity Centre, Government Hospital at Sulur and Primary Health Centre at Pooluvapatty are the other vaccination centres in Coimbatore district where dry run will be conducted.
