54,000 doses of Covishield arrive, stage set for vaccination from January 16

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 13: Chief Minister N Biren Singh received 54,000 doses of Covishield vaccine at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport today and handed over the same to the National Health Mission for  the first phase of the ‘biggest vaccination programme’ which will start from January 16.
The Serum Institute of India’s vaccine, Covishield along with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin were approved for emergency use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on January 3. While the Covaxin is in the final phase of the clinical trial in India, consignments of Covishield were dispatched to cities across the country yesterday.
Speaking to media persons at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, Imphal, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the State is all ready to start the vaccination programme on January 16 as scheduled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The vaccine, he said is “100 percent safe” and there would be no favouritism and nepotism in the vaccination programme. The first phase of the vaccination programme will cover 39,991 healthcare workers. Vaccination will be conducted at 246 vaccination centres including 138 Government centres and 108 private centres. The State has already done mock drills of the vaccination at these centres earlier, he added.
On day one of the vaccination programme on January 16, a total of 8,476 healthcare workers will be vaccinated at 10 places including Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), District Headquarters of Churachandpur, Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Tamenglong and Shija Hospital and Research Institute, N Biren said.
The vaccination programme will be conducted systematically and people shouldn’t worry that they would not get their dose of the vaccine, he added.
The Chief Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for giving priority to Manipur and the North-East States for timely distribution of the vaccine.
With the arrival of the vaccine, the State Government will succeed in its efforts to save the people from COVID-19. However, people still need to strictly follow the COVID-19 related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). People should avoid unnecessary gatherings and take permission from authorities concerned before organizing any social gathering as before until the whole of the population is covered by the vaccination programme, he said.
Education Minister Sorokhaibam Rajen, CAF & PD Minister Thokchom Satyabrata, Advisor to Chief Minister (Health) Dr Sapam Ranjan, Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary P Vaphei and Director, Health Services Dr K Rajo among others accompanied the Chief Minister while receiving the vaccine at the airport.
Meanwhile, the District Health Society, Tamenglong has informed that 1,138 healthcare workers in the district have successfully registered on the CoWIN portal for necessary vaccination.
(With inputs from DIPR)