Delhi government has finalised 89 sites to roll out COVID-19 vaccination drive: Health Minister

Satyender Jain said 36 government hospitals and 53 private hospitals will have a vaccination site each

A Cold Storage Box for keeping Cconavirus vaccine during a dry run for vaccination at a Dispensary run by South Delhi Municipal Corporation at Srinivaspuri in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 06, 2021.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday said the city government has finalised 89 sites to roll out the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the national capital from January 16.

Mr Jain said 36 government hospitals and 53 private hospitals will have a vaccination site each. "The first batch of vaccines will arrive by Tuesday or Wednesday. In the first phase, health care workers will be vaccinated. Thereafter, frontline workers and those aged above 50 will be given the doses," Mr Jain told reporters.

There will be one COVID-19 vaccination centre each in every hospital. Around 10 health care staff will be deployed at each centre, he said.

"We are fully prepared to roll out the vaccination programme. We will administer the vaccine as soon as the doses arrive," he said.

The minister said the Delhi government has already requested the Centre to provide vaccines free of cost.