Published 19:07 IST, January 6th 2021
Coronavirus: Second nationwide dry run to be held on January 8 ahead of vaccine rollout
The third vaccination dry run would be conducted across all the districts in the country making it the world's largest vaccination trial run.
Days after successfully conducting a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination 'dry run' across the country, India is all set to conduct another pan-India dry run on January 8, this time, across all districts of the country.
As per sources, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will hold a virtual review meeting with the Health Ministers of all the states on January 7, regarding the mammoth inoculation drive. The state governments are expected to apprise the Health Minister about their plans and preparations to carry out the exercise.
The first phase of 'dry run' was conducted across 4 states of the country namely Assam, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Punjab on December 28 and 29. This was followed by a nationwide dry run across the country on January 2 conducted in 116 districts across 259 sites in various states and Union Territories.
Now in the latest development, the Centre has announced that the third vaccination dry run would be conducted across all the districts in the country making it the world's largest vaccination trial run.
The aim of the dry run is to test linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges. The dry run will also test Co-WIN application, developed specifically for Coronavirus inoculation drive, in a field environment, as per the Health Ministry.
On January 3, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) announced that the vaccines of Serum Institue of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) had been granted permission for restricted use in an emergency situation. As per the Union Government, the phased COVID-19 vaccination drive is likely to commence by the end of January with health workers and frontline workers on the top of the priority jab list.
Updated 19:07 IST, January 6th 2021