KEY STORY
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New Delhi: In a bid to assess its preparedness, the second dry run for the rollout of coronavirus vaccination began on Friday in all districts across the country – except Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
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Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today visited Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai to review the dry run for administering the Covid-19 vaccine.
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Speaking at a press briefing, Vardhan said the government has ensured that every detail is conveyed to the people from the national level to the grassroots level. “Lakhs of healthcare workers trained and the process continues,” he added. Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar was also present.
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Vardhan praised the Tamil Nadu government for its efforts to contain the virus spread in the state. “I chose to be in Tamil Nadu today and I would like to place on record my appreciation for the govt of Tamil Nadu. Initially, we were worried about many states, including Tamil Nadu. But now it has managed to do well,” he said.
Tamil Nadu: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visits Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/aWVjtzPmpR
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021
United diagnosticss
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The Union health minister further stated that the country has done well by developing vaccines in a short time and the inoculation will stay in the next few days.
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The government will give priority to people who are at high risk – health care workers and front line workers. “In the next stage, we will take up people aged above 50,” he said.
“In a short time, India has done well by developing vaccines. In the next few days, in the near future, we should be able to give these vaccines to our countrymen. It will be given to our healthcare professional followed by frontline workers,” he said.
“On January 2nd, we did a dry run in almost 125 districts in the country and today, we are doing it across the country expect the three states who did it earlier,” he added.
Punjab: Second dry run to administer COVID vaccination underway at centre in Mohali
"We will be conducting vaccine dry run with 25 volunteers as per the orders given by administration," says Nodal Officer, Mohali pic.twitter.com/iWWWKH9YTe
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021
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India’s drugs regulator had on Sunday approved Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield and the indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.
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However, the opposition including Congress and other regional parties questioned the approval asking why the Centre was in a hurry to give a nod to Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine without phase-3 trials.
India’s preparedness
Dr Harsh Vardhan also talked about India’s preparedness to cope up with the Covid-19 pandemic and the pro-active approach by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
15 vaccination units have been set up here. 25 healthcare workers selected for today's dry-run for vaccine administration. A counsellor appointed to counsel those fearing vaccination: Dr Rajesh Dere, Vaccination Centre in-charge at BKC Jumbo dedicated COVID19 hospital, in Mumbai https://t.co/jh8XkaLsOv pic.twitter.com/HA9khdwBvE
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021
