27 sites to be activated on Day one,100 to get dose at each
*1.07 lakh healthcare workers registered so far
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 9: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will kick off COVID-19 vaccination drive in Jammu and Kashmir on January 16 along with other parts of the country from the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu while 2700 persons across the Union Territory will receive vaccination on Day one at 27 designated sites which will be subsequently raised to over 1000.
“The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has so far registered 1.07 lakh health workers across the Union Territory for vaccination in the first phase but the numbers are likely to go around 1.5 lakh as some Medical students and others are yet to be registered,” official sources told the Excelsior.
They said the Lieutenant Governor will launch vaccination drive in Jammu and Kashmir from Auditorium of the Government Medical College Jammu on January 16 morning in presence of top brass of the administration after which the Health authorities will start administering vaccines on daily basis to the health workers including doctors, nurses, Ward boys, Nursing Orderlies, safai karamcharis, ambulance drivers, mortuary workers etc.
“List of first 100 health workers who will be administered COVID-19 vaccine on January 16 in the Government Medical College Jammu after launch of the vaccination drive in Jammu and Kashmir has been prepared,” sources said, adding the administration wants Ward boys, Nursing Orderlies, safai karamcharis, ambulance drivers and mortuary workers to be first recipients of the vaccination followed by nurses and doctors.
“Who will be first recipient of the vaccination in Jammu and Kashmir will be known on January 16. However, the authorities have prepared a list of first 100 beneficiaries who will be administered vaccination on the Day 1 in the GMC Jammu and one of them will get first dose,” sources said.
After inauguration of vaccination drive by the Lieutenant Governor, the doses will be administered regularly across Jammu and Kashmir.
According to sources, a total of 1100 vaccination sites have been identified across Jammu and Kashmir where COVID-19 vaccine will be administered. However, on Day one, 27 vaccination sites will be activated and, at every site, 100 healthcare workers will get vaccinated. This way, at least 2700 healthcare workers are likely to be vaccinated on first day of the drive.
The Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar have been identified as two major vaccination sites while almost all other major health institutions including the Medical Colleges, District and Sub District Hospitals are likely to be used for giving vaccine to the people over a period of time.
Sources, however, admitted that activation of all vaccination sites in Jammu and Kashmir will take time and will depend upon availability of vaccine.
In the Phase-I, according to sources, healthcare workers only will be given vaccine. So far, 1.07 lakh healthcare workers have been registered across Jammu and Kashmir but the numbers are likely to go up and stand around 1.5 lakh as some Medical students and others are yet to be registered.
Nearly 4500 healthcare workers will be vaccinated in the Government Medical College and Associated Hospitals in Jammu while around 15000 will be given vaccine in Jammu district.
“All arrangements for preservation of vaccine on arrival at the vaccination sites have been made. Dry run of vaccination has already been conducted by the Health Department which were successful,” sources said, adding the beneficiaries will be kept under observation for sometime after being given the vaccine before being sent home.
While the healthcare workers will be the first beneficiaries, they will be followed by the frontline workers including police and security personnel whose registration process is also likely to start soon. The Municipal workers and some other categories have also been listed as frontline workers, sources said.
They will be followed by persons above the age of 50 years and co-morbid people.
“Proper procedure outlined by Health Department of the Government of India is being followed right from collection to administering vaccine and observing condition of the beneficiaries,” sources said.
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