Ahead of expanding vaccination for everyone over 18 years from May 1, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and Chairman, Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management R.S. Sharma, told States on Saturday to register extra private COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) in “mission mode”.
This could be done by engaging with private hospitals, hospitals of industrial establishments, and other industry associations. States were also asked to monitor the number of hospitals that have procured vaccines and have declared stocks and prices on COWIN, and publicise the fact that only online registration would be available for those in the 18-45 years bracket. States were advised to review their existing hospital and other COVID-19 treatment infrastructure in light of the daily new cases, daily fatality, and those that would require hospitalisation.
Mr. Sharma, according to a press statement, noted that the CoWIN platform had now stabilised and “is working at scale flawlessly”. It had been equipped to handle the complexities of the new phase of vaccination starting from May 1, he said. He emphasised that States/U.T.s ought to be uploading correct and timely data as any incorrect data would compromise the integrity of the entire system.
States were asked to maintain a real-time record for available beds, create guidelines, direct private health facilities to provide COVID-19 care, and expand designated COVID-19 care facilities for isolation the of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients.
Online registrations for the expanded age group is expected to begin on April 28. At least 600 million new registrants are expected to begin seeking appointments for a vaccine shot amidst a steep rise in coronavirus infections.
On Saturday, Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan visited the Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre (SPCCC) at Chhatarpur, New Delhi and oversaw its restarting and the addition of 500 oxygenated beds. “The present facility would heavily ease the burden on Delhi’s existing health infrastructure to deal with the unprecedented surge of daily new COVID-19 cases,” he noted.
