Punjab ready to administer Covid-19 vaccine: Minister

Chandigarh, Jan 8 (IANS) Punjab is all set to administer Covid-19 vaccine as and when it is received, Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said on Friday.

He said that the dry run for the statewide vaccination drive was a success and requisite men and material put in place. "All logistics have been worked out and we are raring to go," he told the media at SAS Nagar city near here.

"Simulation of the entire inoculation process has been conducted, staff familiarised with all aspects of administration of the vaccine. The operational aspects have been thoroughly reviewed and feasibility of CoWIN Portal monitored," he said.

"As of now, we have 1,000 trained vaccinators and four support team members per vaccinator. The state is equipped to administer four lakh doses of vaccine per day," Sidhu said.

He said that the vaccine would be administered only with the consent of the pre-registered beneficiaries. In the first phase, 1.6 lakh healthcare workers from private and public facilities would be inoculated, followed by other frontline corona warriors, including police and revenue officials. Subsequently, the elderly and people with comorbidities will be vaccinated.

--IANS

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