Decks cleared for Covid inoculation drive

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 15: In sync with the country-wide COVID-19 inoculation drive which begins tomorrow, all preparations have been completed to kick-start the campaign in the State too at 10 centres.
Speaking to media persons at a weekly media briefing on COVID-19 held today at the Lamphelpat office of Directorate of Health Services and National Health Mission Manipur, Family Welfare Services Director Dr P Shyamsunder  said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would kick-start the vaccination campaign at New Delhi tomorrow.
Soon after, the State-level vaccination campaign would be launched at Imphal in the presence of Chief Minister N Biren, he said.
Although COVID-19 vaccine shots can be injected from 9 am to 5 pm as per the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the campaign will be kick-started at 10.30 am in the State, Dr Shyamsunder said.
100 people would be injected with Covishield shots at each of the 10 centres tomorrow namely; RIMS, JNIMS, Churachandpur, Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Tamenglong and Shija Hospital.
Some well known physicians would speak to the public after receiving Covishield shots tomorrow. They include RIMS Director Prof A Santa, Dr Th Sachin Deba (RIMS), Dr Sanjeev Nepram (RIMS), Dr Pooja Akoijam (RIMS), Dr Rajendra Thangjam (JNIMS), Dr Th Lokeshwar (JNIMS), Thoubal District Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Memcha, Bishnupur CMO Dr L Gojendra, Shija Hospital CMD Dr Kh Palin and Shija Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Y Jugindro.
Additional Director (Health) Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang said that COVID-19 graph has been declining rapidly across the country during the last couple of months.
The number of positive cases detected in the State has also been falling and there was no report of COVID-19 related death during the last 5 days, he said.
The declining number of active cases coupled with the arrival of vaccines has made many people put their guards down as indicated by much larger public gatherings seen at different places, he remarked.
The degree of adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour such as wearing face mask, washing hands frequently and thoroughly and maintaining physical distance of at least six feet  is also declining.
But it is not yet time to lower one’s guard against the COVID-19 pandemic. Until and unless all the people are inoculated, each and every one should strictly adhere to the COVID appropriate behaviour, Dr Sasheekumar asserted.
RIMS Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Th Sachin Deba said that all preparations have been completed for Covishield inoculation at the institute’s Old Nursing College.
“It is said that Covishield is a safe vaccine but I do not have any practical knowledge about it. Yet I have been given the opportunity to get a shot tomorrow”, Dr Sachin Deba said. Those who get the first dose tomorrow would be given second dose after four weeks. However, vaccines are not the only and ultimate solution. People still need to strictly follow COVID appropriate behaviour, Dr Sachin Deba added.