A dry run for COVID-19 vaccine administration was held at three centres including Government Victoria Hospital, Travancore Medicity Medical College and Anchal Community Health Centre in the district on Friday.
All procedures of the vaccination except injecting the medicine were followed in the mock sessions held in preparation for the vaccine rollout.
Provisions for disinfecting were set up at the entry of the centres and seating was arranged maintaining six-feet distance. Only one person was allowed inside the vaccination room to ensure privacy.
Vaccine carriers with required vials and Auto Disable (AD) syringes, hand sanitisers, masks, vial openers and hub cutters were also made available.
“The aim of the dry run is to identify the challenges and shortcomings and address them before the actual implementation,” said District Medical Officer Dr.R Sreelatha.
Twenty-five selected health workers participated in the exercise held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at each centre and the details of the participants were added in the COVID-19 vaccination online portal.
In future vaccination officers can check the details of the recipients by entering the portal using their user id and password.
Separate rooms were set up in all three centres for the recipients to wait for and after vaccination.
The participants were allowed to go home only after a 30-minute observation time and all the arrangements were in place to provide emergency treatment in case of any probable side effects.
The adverse event following immunization (AEFI) committee included two physicians, one cardiologist, one neurologist and one epidemiologist from various government facilities in the district.
Health inspectors verified the identity of vaccine recipients while doctors, nurses and junior public health nurses handled the vaccination.
Monitored
Another team including junior health inspectors and nurses were in charge of monitoring the participants after vaccination while health supervisor led the awareness sessions.
District Collector B.Abdul Nasar, district panchayt president Sam K Daniel, DMO R.Sreelatha and deputy DMO Dr.R.Sandhya were present during the dry run held at Government Victoria Hospital.
The Health Department has also opened a 24-hour COVID-19 vaccination control room in the district and the public can contact the department by dialling 0474-2797609.
